PMP · Question #1175
A project's business case was just approved and the project manager is creating the benefits management plan. It is unclear how the benefits from the project align with the organization's vision. What
The correct answer is C. Meet with the project sponsor to obtain more information.. To clarify how project benefits align with the organizational vision, the project manager should first meet with the project sponsor, who has a strategic overview and can provide necessary context.
Question
A project's business case was just approved and the project manager is creating the benefits management plan. It is unclear how the benefits from the project align with the organization's vision. What should the project manager do first to verify alignment?
Options
- AConsult with the project team members to gain their opinions.
- BAsk the project team to delay the kick-off while resolving the concern.
- CMeet with the project sponsor to obtain more information.
- DRequest a copy of the project assumptions log for more insight.
How the community answered
(33 responses)- A9% (3)
- B18% (6)
- C70% (23)
- D3% (1)
Why each option
To clarify how project benefits align with the organizational vision, the project manager should first meet with the project sponsor, who has a strategic overview and can provide necessary context.
While team members provide valuable input on execution, they typically lack the strategic overview required to verify alignment with the organization's overarching vision.
Delaying the kick-off without first seeking clarification from the appropriate source is a premature and potentially unnecessary action that can hinder project progress.
The project sponsor is the primary advocate for the project and is responsible for ensuring its alignment with organizational objectives and vision, making them the most authoritative source for clarifying benefit alignment. They possess the strategic context and approval authority to confirm or adjust the project's strategic direction.
The assumptions log primarily details assumptions made during planning, not necessarily the strategic alignment of benefits with the organization's vision.
Concept tested: Project sponsor role and strategic alignment
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/project-sponsor-role
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Olusegun A.May 24, 2026C is correct. The sponsor owns the business case and the link to organizational strategy, so if benefits alignment is unclear you go straight to the source rather than guessing or stalling the team. Confirmed on exam last week.
Ingrid P.Jun 13, 2026I first leaned toward A, thinking the team would have useful context on the expected benefits. Then I realized the sponsor is the one who champions the business case and links it back to organizational strategy, so C is the correct first step. Worth a flashcard: if benefits alignment with the org vision is unclear, the accountable party to consult is the sponsor, not the team.
Anjali D.Jun 15, 2026Agree on C, and would add that the sponsor is also your escalation path if the team later pushes back on benefit targets during delivery, so establishing that relationship early pays off twice.
Bao N.May 18, 2026Confirmed C on three practice tests this week. A trips people up because consulting the team sounds collaborative, but alignment with organizational vision is a sponsor conversation, not a team vote.
Ingrid P.May 21, 2026C is right but the card worth making here is sponsor equals vision alignment, team equals requirements and feasibility, since that distinction shows up in at least four other questions disguised with different scenarios.
Anjali D.Jun 3, 2026Most of us in our study group landed on C, though a few of us initially leaned toward A thinking the team might have context from the business case. What shifted us was remembering that the sponsor is the one who champions the project and connects it to organizational strategy, so they are the right person to clarify how benefits tie back to the vision. The team has not even been assembled yet at this stage, and D does not make sense because assumptions are not the same as strategic alignment. Anyone else run into this one on practice exams?