PMP · Question #557
A project manager is working on a software development project for an oil and gas client using an agile approach. The project manager is having difficulty preparing the schedule because the project…
The correct answer is C. Iterative scheduling. For an agile software development project with various unknowns, the project manager should use iterative scheduling. This method allows for planning in short cycles, adapting to new information, and refining the schedule as the project progresses.
Question
A project manager is working on a software development project for an oil and gas client using an agile approach. The project manager is having difficulty preparing the schedule because the project has various unknowns. Which scheduling method should the project manager use to develop the schedule?
Options
- AAnalogous scheduling
- BThree-point scheduling
- CIterative scheduling
- DParametric scheduling
How the community answered
(21 responses)- A5% (1)
- B10% (2)
- C81% (17)
- D5% (1)
Why each option
For an agile software development project with various unknowns, the project manager should use iterative scheduling. This method allows for planning in short cycles, adapting to new information, and refining the schedule as the project progresses.
Analogous scheduling uses historical data from similar projects, which is less effective when there are 'various unknowns' and the project uses an agile approach, implying a non-linear, adaptive plan.
Three-point scheduling (PERT) is a technique for estimating activity durations by considering optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely scenarios, but it's primarily a technique for individual task estimation within a predictive schedule, not an overall scheduling *method* for a project with high unknowns in an agile context.
Iterative scheduling is ideal for agile projects, especially those with many unknowns, because it involves planning in short, time-boxed cycles (iterations or sprints). This method allows the team to deliver work incrementally, learn from each iteration, and continuously adapt the schedule and scope as new information becomes available and uncertainties are resolved.
Parametric scheduling uses statistical relationships between historical data and other variables to estimate duration, which is also less effective when there are many unknowns and the project is agile.
Concept tested: Agile scheduling methods
Source: https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/agile/agile-practice-guide.pdf
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Yuki V.Dec 31, 2025Confirmed C on my exam last month. When you see "agile approach" plus "various unknowns" in the same stem, that is your cue for iterative scheduling. The method handles uncertainty by breaking work into smaller cycles and refining the schedule as you learn more each iteration. B is tempting because unknowns make you think of three-point estimating, but that is an estimating technique, not a scheduling method.
Ingrid P.Dec 31, 2025Good catch on distinguishing estimating technique from scheduling method, but make a card specifically on why B is the trap answer, since people keep reaching for three-point estimating whenever they see unknowns.
Toby R.Jan 8, 2026Got C on my exam last month, agile plus unknowns screamed iterative scheduling to me.
Prof. SaraJan 15, 2026Going with B here. The keyword combo of "various unknowns" plus "agile" screams three-point scheduling because you use optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic estimates to build in buffers when dealing with uncertainty, which is exactly what the PMP exam tests under Schedule Management.
Toby R.Jan 18, 2026Actually it is C, analogous estimating. When you have various unknowns early in a project you lean on past similar projects for a rough estimate, whereas three-point estimating needs enough detail to produce optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic values which you typically do not have yet.
Ingrid P.Dec 28, 2025Going with D here. In an oil and gas agile environment with heavy unknowns, parametric scheduling lets you use historical drilling and development metrics to anchor your estimates when bottom-up details are scarce.
Yuki V.Dec 29, 2025C is correct here, Ingrid. In an agile environment with heavy unknowns, you lean on analogous estimating because it uses broad comparisons from past similar projects rather than requiring the historical metric databases that parametric depends on.