PMP · Question #144
A company wants to be a pioneer in its industry and has announced the launch date of a new innovative product. After the first sprint planning, the team realizes that it is not possible to deliver all
The correct answer is C. Assist the team in defining a minimum viable product (MVP) by the launch date.. Given a fixed launch date and an inability to deliver all features, the project manager should help the team prioritize and define a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that can be launched successfully.
Question
A company wants to be a pioneer in its industry and has announced the launch date of a new innovative product. After the first sprint planning, the team realizes that it is not possible to deliver all the features in the required time. What should the project manager do to ensure success?
Options
- AAsk the customer to reduce the backlog to meet the launch date.
- BIncrease the capacity of the team to deliver the completed backlog on time.
- CAssist the team in defining a minimum viable product (MVP) by the launch date.
- DSchedule a meeting with the stakeholders to review the contingency plan.
How the community answered
(44 responses)- A2% (1)
- B7% (3)
- C80% (35)
- D11% (5)
Why each option
Given a fixed launch date and an inability to deliver all features, the project manager should help the team prioritize and define a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that can be launched successfully.
While reducing the backlog is part of the solution, the project manager should facilitate this by helping the team define what is *essential* for launch (MVP), rather than simply asking the customer to reduce it without guidance.
Arbitrarily increasing team capacity (e.g., adding more people) late in the project often leads to "Brooks's Law" where adding resources to a late project makes it later, and may not be feasible or effective.
When faced with a fixed launch date and an overly ambitious scope, defining a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) allows the team to focus on delivering the most critical features that provide core value, ensuring the product can still launch by the deadline and gather early feedback. This strategy aligns with agile principles of delivering value incrementally and adapting to constraints.
Reviewing a contingency plan might address risks, but the immediate problem is a mismatch between scope and timeline for a fixed launch date, which an MVP directly addresses by redefining the scope for the initial release.
Concept tested: Agile product delivery and Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Source: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/mvp/
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Nina C.Jun 12, 2026So you are working with an Agile approach where the launch date is fixed but scope is flexible, right? If that is the case then C is the answer. The team defines a minimum viable product to hit the launch date, delivering the most valuable features first. I learned this one because it directly mirrors the agile principle of maximizing the amount of work not done. Options A and B try to force a traditional scope fix instead of adapting to reality.
Imani T.Jun 4, 2026C is the right call here because the launch date is fixed and non-negotiable, so you work backward from that constraint and define what is the minimum viable product you can actually ship. Options A and B both try to force the full backlog through either by cutting scope arbitrarily or throwing bodies at the problem, which rarely works in agile. D is a stall tactic that does not solve the actual delivery problem. The MVP approach lets you hit the pioneer window while still delivering something usable and valuable. One thing I am never fully clear on for the exam, when they say MVP, are they always expecting
Ola B.May 27, 2026Going with D here. When a launch date is locked and publicly announced, the PM has to get stakeholders in a room fast to review contingencies, because pretending the plan is still fine after sprint one is how you blow the whole thing up.
Imani T.May 29, 2026C is correct here. Once the launch date is locked and announced, the right move is to re-baseline the plan with the team and adjust scope or resources to hit that fixed date, not just pull stakeholders into a room to talk contingencies.
Viktor S.Jun 8, 2026A is the right call here because the launch date is locked in and announced, so the only lever you have is scope. Sitting down with the customer to trim the backlog to what actually fits the timeline is exactly what you do in agile when the date is fixed and the scope has to flex.
Imani T.Jun 10, 2026C is the right answer here, Viktor. The stem says scope is fixed and locked by contract, so the lever you actually have is resources, which means adding people to meet the immovable date.