PMP · Question #1427
A project manager has been assigned to lead a major project in a government organization. There are no policies and procedures for project management, since there is no project management office…
The correct answer is A. Provide project management training to the stakeholders and explain their responsibilities. In a project environment lacking project management policies, procedures, and clear stakeholder responsibilities, the project manager should provide training to stakeholders and clarify their roles.
Question
A project manager has been assigned to lead a major project in a government organization. There are no policies and procedures for project management, since there is no project management office (PMO). The managers involved are unaware of their responsibilities for the project. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AProvide project management training to the stakeholders and explain their responsibilities.
- BStart planning the project and then request that a PMO be implemented in the organization.
- CRequest that the implementation of a PMO be executed in parallel with the project.
- DProvide project management training to only the internal team involved in the project.
How the community answered
(47 responses)- A85% (40)
- B2% (1)
- C4% (2)
- D9% (4)
Why each option
In a project environment lacking project management policies, procedures, and clear stakeholder responsibilities, the project manager should provide training to stakeholders and clarify their roles.
To establish a functional project environment, the project manager must first educate all relevant stakeholders on project management fundamentals and clearly define their responsibilities. This builds a common understanding, sets expectations, and enables effective participation, which is critical when a PMO is absent.
Starting planning without addressing the foundational lack of knowledge and defined responsibilities among managers will lead to significant inefficiencies, confusion, and project failure.
Implementing a PMO is a large organizational change that takes time and resources; it is not an immediate solution for the urgent need to clarify roles and educate stakeholders for the current project.
Limiting project management training only to the internal team is insufficient, as external managers and stakeholders also require understanding of project processes and their responsibilities for successful collaboration.
Concept tested: Project management foundational knowledge and stakeholder education
Topics
Community Discussion
13
Bao N.Dec 26, 2025Confirmed A on multiple practice sets. The stem gives you two problems: no PMO means no established processes, and managers do not know their roles. A handles both gaps by training stakeholders and clarifying responsibilities, which is what you do first before pushing for a PMO. C and B are traps because you cannot realistically build a PMO while planning the project, and D is wrong since it ignores the managers who are unaware of their responsibilities.
Hiroshi T.Apr 20, 2026A is correct. PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition, Section 3.4.2.5 (Organizational Process Assets Updates) and the general guidance on stakeholder engagement make clear that when stakeholders lack project management awareness, the project manager provides training and clarifies responsibilities. B and C jump to requesting a PMO, which is outside the project manager's authority in most org structures, and D is too narrow since the managers involved need the training, not just the internal team.
Yusuf A.Jan 8, 2026Going with A here. One of the senior PMs at my org told me that when stakeholders don't understand their roles, training and clear communication of responsibilities is the immediate fix rather than trying to stand up a PMO mid-project.
Wei W.Dec 29, 2025A is the right call because the real problem here is awareness, not structure. People cannot contribute to a project they do not understand, so educating stakeholders and clarifying responsibilities is the immediate, practical step. Spinning up a PMO, whether sequential or parallel as in options B and C, is a much larger organizational change effort that will not help you today. Option D is too narrow because it ignores the managers who are directly asking what their role is. Saw this on my exam last spring and almost overthought it. I was tempted by C because the PMO angle sounds impressive, but
Ingrid P.Dec 30, 2025Agree on A, and the keyword I anchored to was "unclear responsibilities" - that is a stakeholder alignment problem, not a governance gap, so B and C are overkill.
Wesley A.Apr 12, 2026I first leaned toward C because setting up a PMO in parallel sounded like a smart organizational fix, but the question is really about getting the managers up to speed right now since they do not know their responsibilities. A wins because training stakeholders and clarifying roles is the immediate practical step, whereas pushing for a PMO does not solve the current knowledge gap on your active project.
Luis F.Apr 13, 2026Good call on A, Wesley, and I would add that documenting those roles in a RACI chart right after the training helps reinforce it so people do not forget who owns what once the project gets busy.
Ingrid P.Dec 23, 2025A is right but stakeholders is broad, still beats team-only in D.
Fatima Z.Dec 15, 2025Confirmed A on exam last week. Educate stakeholders first with TRAIN: Teach Roles And Interests Now.
Ola B.Apr 28, 2026Going with C. The PMBOK is pretty clear that when an org lacks a PMO and standardized practices, you advocate for standing one up rather than just training people in a vacuum. Running the PMO implementation in parallel with the project means you are building the governance structure while the work moves forward, which beats stalling the project or doing half measures. I actually spun up a quick lab scenario at work last month to test a similar parallel rollout approach and the momentum you keep by not pausing the deliverables is huge. A and D sound nice but training alone does not fix the missing policies
Hiroshi T.Apr 29, 2026A is the correct answer here. Ola B. overcomplicates this by inventing a PMO rollout the question never asks for, whereas the PMBOK guidance for an org lacking standardized practices is to provide training and coaching on the chosen methodology so the team can execute consistently within the current structure.
Luis F.Apr 22, 2026B is the move here. You start planning the project to keep things moving, then request the PMO so the org gets the policies and procedures it needs going forward.
Hiroshi T.Apr 23, 2026A is correct because you need the PMO and its governance policies in place before project planning can proceed, not after. Per PMI, establishing organizational governance and project management standards is a prerequisite that enables effective planning, so requesting the PMO first is the right sequence.