PMP · Question #389
To estimate the costs of a new project that is similar to a project that was implemented last year, the project manager meets with a group of experts from the previous project. The group uses a…
The correct answer is B. Review the historical information and lessons learned from last year's project to justify the new. When a new project's budget, estimated using a three-point technique, exceeds a new sponsor's expectations, the project manager should use historical data from similar past projects to justify the current estimates.
Question
Options
- AReview the organizational process assessment to determine if a contingency reserve was
- BReview the historical information and lessons learned from last year's project to justify the new
- CChange the budgeting technique to a more accurate, bottom-up cost estimation
- DUse soft skills to convince the project sponsor to approve the new budget estimate
How the community answered
(23 responses)- A4% (1)
- B78% (18)
- C13% (3)
- D4% (1)
Why each option
When a new project's budget, estimated using a three-point technique, exceeds a new sponsor's expectations, the project manager should use historical data from similar past projects to justify the current estimates.
An organizational process assessment is not a standard project management artifact to directly justify a budget and would not provide the specific cost justification needed for the current project.
Since the new project is similar to one from the previous year, reviewing the historical information and lessons learned from that project provides crucial data to justify the current cost estimates to the new project sponsor. This historical data, including actual costs and variances, can explain why the budget is at its current level and build confidence with the sponsor.
Changing the budgeting technique now would require re-estimating the entire project, which is time-consuming and unnecessary when historical data already exists for justification.
While soft skills are important, simply trying to convince the sponsor without providing concrete justification or data is unlikely to resolve their legitimate concerns about the budget.
Concept tested: Project cost justification using historical data
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Carlos M.Jul 5, 2026B is the answer here. The sponsor is new to the company so they have zero context on why this project costs what it does, and the PM needs to back up the three-point estimate with actual data from last year's similar project. Pulling historical information and lessons learned is exactly how you justify estimates to a skeptical sponsor, especially when you already met with experts from that previous project. A is wrong because the option text is incomplete anyway, and C sounds tempting but switching techniques just because the sponsor is surprised is not the right move when you already have expert input driving the numbers.
Toby R.Jul 5, 2026Confirmed B on exam last month. The sponsor being new means they have no context on why the numbers are what they are, so pulling last year's lessons learned and historical data is exactly how you justify the estimate.
Wei W.Jul 5, 2026Saw this on my exam last spring and picked B after almost choosing C. The sponsor being new is the real clue here, they need context and evidence from a comparable past project, not a different estimating technique. B gives you the historical justification to have an honest conversation grounded in real data.
Carlos M.Jul 7, 2026Agree on B, and the other thing to watch is they love to pair "new sponsor" with a wrong answer that sounds collaborative, like facilitiating a workshop, which sounds helpful but does nothing to fix the actual credibility gap.
Zlatan X.Jul 5, 2026D wins. New sponsor needs confidence, not more numbers.
Toby R.Jul 6, 2026B is correct here, Zlatan. The question is asking about what to include in the communication management plan, and stakeholder information needs are a core component of that document, not something you skip just because a sponsor wants confidence over data dumps.
Yusuf A.Jul 5, 2026Leaned toward C but a senior PM told me sponsors just want historical data to justify costs.