PMP Question #357: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

During the course of a project, the project manager's immediate director is communicating directly with the client to approve changes without the project manager's knowledge. This is causing confusion in the project team where the scope is changing in the background, but only being mentioned in project meetings. How should the project manager handle this?

Options

• ACommunicate directly with the director and inform them of the communications management plan
• BCommunicate directly with the client stating that any scope changes must go through the project
• CReview the stakeholder engagement plan and put in place any existing actions accordingly
• DDiscuss the issues with the project team and let them know that the project manager will handle

Explanation

The project manager's director is bypassing established communication channels and approving client changes directly, leading to scope confusion within the project team. The project manager must address this breach of process.

Common mistakes.

• B. Communicating directly with the client regarding internal communication protocols could undermine the director's authority and complicate client relationships unnecessarily. The issue originates with the director's actions, not the client's.
• C. Reviewing the stakeholder engagement plan is a general practice, but the immediate problem is a specific deviation from established communication and change control by a key internal stakeholder. Directly addressing the director is the most effective first step.
• D. Discussing the issues with the project team is important for morale and clarifying current scope, but it does not resolve the root cause of the problem: the director's unauthorized communication and change approvals.

Concept tested. Communications management and authority lines

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