PMP · Question #1270
A project team is globally distributed with team members living and working in different time zones. The project manager is trying to get the team to collaborate effectively. Which three actions…
The correct answer is A. Send out a survey to review the preferred method, timing, and frequency for communications. B. Review the communications strategy with the team regularly with a view for continuous C. Compile a communications management plan with input from all stakeholders and distribute for. To foster effective collaboration in a globally distributed team, the project manager should actively involve the team in shaping and continuously improving the communication strategy.
Question
A project team is globally distributed with team members living and working in different time zones. The project manager is trying to get the team to collaborate effectively. Which three actions should the project manager take to accomplish this goal? (Choose three.)
Options
- ASend out a survey to review the preferred method, timing, and frequency for communications.
- BReview the communications strategy with the team regularly with a view for continuous
- CCompile a communications management plan with input from all stakeholders and distribute for
- DRequire the team to have daily mandatory meetings with the project management office (PMO).
- ERecommend the use of formal written documentation in all project communications.
How the community answered
(25 responses)- A76% (19)
- D8% (2)
- E16% (4)
Why each option
To foster effective collaboration in a globally distributed team, the project manager should actively involve the team in shaping and continuously improving the communication strategy.
Surveying team members helps understand their preferences for communication methods, timing, and frequency, which is crucial for establishing effective channels across different time zones and cultures.
Regularly reviewing and continuously improving the communications strategy ensures it remains relevant and effective as project dynamics evolve, especially important for a distributed team.
A comprehensive communications management plan developed with stakeholder input ensures all parties are aligned on how information will be shared, reducing misunderstandings and facilitating collaboration.
Requiring daily mandatory meetings with the PMO is excessive and impractical for a globally distributed team due to time zone differences, potentially leading to burnout and decreased morale.
While formal written documentation is important for certain communications, recommending it for *all* project communications can stifle real-time collaboration and agility, especially when informal methods are often more efficient.
Concept tested: Distributed team communication planning
Topics
Community Discussion
9
Lena V.Feb 28, 2026Correct answers are A, B, and C. For a globally distributed team, the PM needs to align communication methods and timings with everyone's actual availability, which is exactly why surveying the team first is critical. B is correct because communication strategies for distributed teams require continuous review and adjustment as time zone constraints or project needs evolve. C works because building the communications management plan with stakeholder input ensures buy-in and sets clear expectations across the board. D is wrong because forcing mandatory daily meetings with the PMO ignores time zone realities and oversteps the PMO's role, and E is too rigid since
Ingrid P.Apr 8, 2026A, B, C confirmed. D is a distractor: mandatory daily meetings across time zones kill morale.
Luis F.Apr 10, 2026Solid call on D, though I'd argue the bigger issue is the productivity hit from context switching, not just morale.
Samuel O.Mar 14, 2026I first leaned toward E since formal written documentation feels like the safe bet when you have people scattered across time zones and you want a paper trail. But requiring formal written communication for everything creates bottlenecks and ignores that some quick decisions just need a chat message or a short call, which is something I have seen slow teams down on international rollouts. A, B, and C are the right picks because you need to ask the team what actually works for them with a survey, keep refining that communications strategy as you learn what sticks, and get a real plan documented with stakeholder buy-in. D
Mateus R.Mar 15, 2026Good call on A, B, and C, and you are spot on that E is wrong, but the reason is not that formal written docs are too slow, it is that the question is asking how you figure out the communication approach in the first place, not what format to mandate, so E puts the cart before the horse.
Mateus R.Mar 31, 2026Think of a globally distributed team like farmers trying to coordinate a harvest across different seasons, you gotta ask everyone when they are actually awake and available before you start barking orders. I first leaned toward E because formal written docs sound safe for scattered teams, but requiring them for everything would choke the life out of quick updates. A is like passing around a chore chart so folks can pick their preferred shift, B is checking back each week to see if the schedule still works, and C is nailing down the official farm playbook so everyone reads from the same page. D is a trap because forcing daily mandatory
Ingrid P.Apr 2, 2026Agreed on E being too heavy for routine comms, but I would watch for a follow-up question asking which artifact you actually do codify formally, because that is the one card worth making: standardize the high-stakes stuff (escalation paths, RACI, decision logs) and leave everything else to async.
Luis F.Mar 24, 2026D for sure, mandatory daily PMO meetings keep global teams aligned.
Samuel O.Mar 26, 2026A, B, and C are the correct ones here, Luis. In practice, global teams rely on asynchronous updates, shared dashboards, and staggered syncs across time zones rather than forcing everyone into a mandatory daily meeting, which tends to burn people out and excludes half the team.