PMP · Question #184
In a financial company, a strategic project has been planned to use a predictive approach. During project planning, the product leader requests that milestones be submitted for review. There is a defi
The correct answer is C. Meet with the software team to review the possibility of monthly milestone reviews.. To meet the product leader's request for milestone reviews within a predictive project with defined scope and deadlines, the project manager should first discuss the feasibility of implementing such reviews with the software team.
Question
In a financial company, a strategic project has been planned to use a predictive approach. During project planning, the product leader requests that milestones be submitted for review. There is a defined scope and an established deadline to conclude the project. What should the project manager do first to meet the product leader's expectations?
Options
- AChange the project charter to indicate that the approach will be different.
- BInform the product leader that they must wait until the end of the project.
- CMeet with the software team to review the possibility of monthly milestone reviews.
- DModify the project management plan to use an agile framework to incorporate milestones.
How the community answered
(38 responses)- A8% (3)
- B16% (6)
- C71% (27)
- D5% (2)
Why each option
To meet the product leader's request for milestone reviews within a predictive project with defined scope and deadlines, the project manager should first discuss the feasibility of implementing such reviews with the software team.
Changing the project charter for a request about milestone reviews is an overreaction and unnecessary, especially before assessing the impact and feasibility.
Dismissing the product leader's request without consideration can lead to stakeholder dissatisfaction and reduced engagement.
While the project uses a predictive approach, the product leader's request for milestone reviews indicates a need for progress visibility. Before making any commitments or changes, the project manager should engage the software team to understand the practicalities and impacts of incorporating monthly milestone reviews into the existing plan, ensuring alignment with project constraints and team capacity. This step helps in assessing feasibility and planning for integration without prematurely altering the project approach.
Immediately modifying the project management plan to an agile framework solely for milestone reviews is a significant shift in methodology and potentially inappropriate given the project's 'predictive approach, defined scope, and established deadline'.
Concept tested: Stakeholder expectation management and planning in predictive projects
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Prof. SaraJul 5, 2026C is correct. This maps to PMP Domain 3 (Business Analysis) and the hybrid approach concepts. The product leader wants milestone reviews, but the project is predictive. The PM should meet with the team to see if monthly milestone reviews can fit within the existing plan. A and D jump to a framework change without analysis. B ignores stakeholder engagement. Use mnemonic MAP - Meet, Assess, Plan - before changing anything.
Bao N.Jul 5, 2026C is correct because the PM should explore whether milestone reviews can be layered into the predictive approach without ripping up the whole plan. A and D both jump straight to a formal framework swap, which is overkill when the leader just wants periodic check-ins on progress. B is the classic trap of treating predictive like a black box where nobody sees anything until the end, and the PMI mindset never rewards stonewalling stakeholders. I had this exact scenario on my exam last spring and almost picked D because the word milestones made my brain go straight to agile ceremonies, but re-reading the stem showed the
Grace U.Jul 7, 2026Good catch on C, and the trap you described with D is exactly why reading the stem carefully matters, though I would add that the key phrase is "periodic check-ins" which points to layering milestone reviews on top of the existing predictive approach rather than switching frameworks.
Samuel O.Jul 5, 2026C is the right call here, and it tracks with what I see in the field. With a predictive approach and a fixed deadline plus defined scope, you cannot just flip to agile on a whim, so D is a trap. Meeting with the team to see if monthly milestone reviews are feasible respects the existing plan while addressing the product leader's need for visibility, which is really what they are after. One thing I am still sorting out as I prep for this exam: how much latitude does the PM have to layer in review cadences without triggering a formal change request, versus when does something like this
Yusuf A.Jul 5, 2026I first leaned toward D because it sounded like the product leader wanted agile-style reviews, but my mentor pointed out that switching frameworks entirely for a predictive project with defined scope and deadline is overkill. C makes sense because you are just adding milestone reviews within the existing predictive approach without tearing up the whole plan.
Bao N.Jul 7, 2026Agreed on C, Yusuf. The exam loves to test whether you can distinguish between bolt-on practices and wholesale framework swaps, so watch for similar wording where they sneak in terms like iterative or rolling wave, which push toward hybrid instead of just adding checkpoints.
Grace U.Jul 5, 2026C makes sense here. Do you think monthly reviews can work within a predictive approach?