PMP · Question #175
A project manager is managing a project with team members who are working all over the globe. The project manager notices that each team member's deliverables do not meet the requirements. What should
The correct answer is B. Discuss the process used to create the noncompliant deliverables with the project team to see if. When deliverables consistently fail to meet requirements, the project manager should first discuss the underlying processes with the team to identify and address the root cause of non-compliance.
Question
Options
- AAssemble the project team via conference call to tell them that disciplinary action will be taken if
- BDiscuss the process used to create the noncompliant deliverables with the project team to see if
- CSchedule time with the project sponsor to inform them that the project schedule is slipping due to
- DMeet with the project team to explain that noncompliant deliverables must be reworked and
How the community answered
(35 responses)- A3% (1)
- B74% (26)
- C9% (3)
- D14% (5)
Why each option
When deliverables consistently fail to meet requirements, the project manager should first discuss the underlying processes with the team to identify and address the root cause of non-compliance.
Threatening disciplinary action is a demotivating and counterproductive approach that does not address the underlying systemic or process issues causing the noncompliance.
If deliverables consistently fail to meet requirements, the most effective first step is to investigate the process by which those deliverables are created. This collaborative discussion helps identify breakdowns in understanding, tools, methods, or quality controls, allowing for corrective actions at the source.
Informing the sponsor about schedule slips is an outcome of the problem, not a solution to prevent future noncompliant deliverables; the PM should first try to understand and rectify the cause.
While rework is necessary, simply stating that deliverables must be reworked does not address why they are noncompliant or prevent future occurrences, which is the project manager's primary responsibility.
Concept tested: Root cause analysis for quality issues
Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/boards/get-started/root-cause-analysis
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Grace U.Nov 8, 2025B is correct here. When deliverables are missing the mark across a distributed team, the first step is always to understand why, so discussing the process used to create them helps you find the root cause before jumping to fixes or consequences.
Wesley A.Nov 30, 2025B is the right call here, and yes, I saw this exact scenario on my second attempt. The first time around I picked something closer to D, thinking the PM should just push for rework, but that skips the analysis step entirely. When deliverables are missing the mark across a distributed team, you need to understand the root cause before assigning fixes or escalating. Discussing the process used to create the deliverables is how you figure out whether it is a communication gap, a misunderstanding of requirements, or something else. The trap here is that D sounds proactive and action-oriented, but jumping straight
Zlatan X.Nov 22, 2025I first leaned toward D because it sounds action-oriented, but the keyword in the stem is "each team member" failing to meet requirements, which signals a systemic process breakdown across distributed components rather than isolated quality lapses. B is the correct first move because you have to diagnose the root cause of the noncompliance before you can govern the rework, otherwise you risk burning schedule and budget on deliverables that will just fail again. In a globally distributed program environment, recurring defects at the component level usually trace back to misaligned execution processes or misunderstood acceptance criteria, not individual performance gaps. Once you
Grace U.Nov 23, 2025Agreed on B, and I would add that the stem saying each team member is failing is a signal to check whether the acceptance criteria were actually communicated clearly to everyone, not just documented somewhere.