PMP · Question #345
A research and development department is planning to develop a product that will introduce a new line of business for the organization. What should the project manager do to increase the project's cha
The correct answer is A. Plan a working session focusing on the scope, vision, and mission of the initiative. To increase the success of a new product launch and business line, the project manager should facilitate a working session to clearly define the initiative's scope, vision, and mission.
Question
Options
- APlan a working session focusing on the scope, vision, and mission of the initiative
- BStart developing the project management plan based on a previous project template from the
- CConduct benchmarking to determine the business viability of the initiative
- DConduct an impact analysis of the new initiative to determine how the project should be rolled out
How the community answered
(31 responses)- A71% (22)
- B3% (1)
- C16% (5)
- D10% (3)
Why each option
To increase the success of a new product launch and business line, the project manager should facilitate a working session to clearly define the initiative's scope, vision, and mission.
Planning a working session to define the scope, vision, and mission of the initiative is crucial for success as it establishes a clear understanding of what the project aims to achieve, aligning all stakeholders from the outset, especially for a new line of business.
Starting with a previous project template without a clear vision or scope for a *new* line of business can lead to misaligned goals and an inappropriate plan, risking the initiative's success.
While benchmarking can be useful for business viability, it's a broader business strategy activity that might precede or run in parallel with project planning; defining the project's internal vision and mission is a direct and fundamental project management step for success.
Conducting an impact analysis is important later for rollout strategy but assumes the core project definition (scope, vision) is already established, which is not the case for a new initiative at its planning stage.
Concept tested: Project initiation, vision and scope definition, stakeholder alignment
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/develop-project-charter
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Nina C.Jun 18, 2026Former teacher here, still new to this PMP material, so correct me if I am off base. The answer is A because the scenario explicitly states this initiative introduces a brand new line of business, which means the organization has no existing template or baseline to copy from. Before anyone can benchmark or build a rollout plan, the team needs a working session to align on the scope, vision, and mission to ensure everyone is aiming at the same target. Option B would make sense for a repeat project, but a new line of business requires you to define the goal first. Am I understanding the logic correctly
Toby R.Jun 5, 2026Got A on my exam last month, keyword was new line of business so vision and mission session is the move.
Nina C.Jun 7, 2026Agreed on A, but watch out if they swap "new" for "expanding existing" because that pushes you toward the business requirements workshop instead.
Fatima Z.Jun 9, 2026A is the answer here, and my trick to remember it is the acronym SVM: Scope, Vision, Mission. Think of the project manager as a mechanic tuning the engine before a brand new race. Since this is a new line of business, you cannot just copy old templates or jump into rollout logistics, because there is no precedent to copy from. You need to get everyone in a room and align on what the heck you are even building first, so SVM is your starting line. Saw this exact scenario on my exam last spring and it almost got me. I stared at C for a full
Bao N.Jun 30, 2026I first leaned toward C because benchmarking sounds smart for a new line of business, but the giveaway is that this is R&D developing something entirely new. There is nothing to benchmark against yet, so A is the move: you need to get everyone aligned on scope, vision, and mission before anything else.
Toby R.Jul 1, 2026Passed last month and A is right, but the real trap is they will also throw in a "charter" option which sounds close enough to make you second-guess yourself, so know the difference between defining scope and vision versus documenting it.