PMP · Question #598
A company's key product is evolving and requires the use of a new technology. No one on the team is familiar with this technology; however, experienced developers on the team volunteered to study the
The correct answer is D. Support the developers with their intention to learn the new technology.. Support the developers with their intention to learn the new technology. Project managers should provide resources and support to the developers to ensure they are successful in their learning and application of the new technology. Outsourcing the work, descoping the requirement,
Question
A company's key product is evolving and requires the use of a new technology. No one on the team is familiar with this technology; however, experienced developers on the team volunteered to study the concepts and application and believe they will be able to take full responsibility for the new technology. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AOutsource the technology work to a third party so as not to delay work.
- BDescope this requirement as the developers have more important tasks.
- CHire externally since the internal developers already have assigned work.
- DSupport the developers with their intention to learn the new technology.
How the community answered
(45 responses)- A7% (3)
- B13% (6)
- C4% (2)
- D76% (34)
Explanation
Support the developers with their intention to learn the new technology. Project managers should provide resources and support to the developers to ensure they are successful in their learning and application of the new technology. Outsourcing the work, descoping the requirement, or hiring externally are not recommended solutions in this case.
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Viktor S.Jul 5, 2026D is correct. PMP loves servant leadership and team development over outsourcing the moment things get uncomfortable. The developers volunteered and expressed confidence, so the PM should support that growth rather than sidelining them or burning budget on external hires. A, B, and C all avoid the real work of building internal capability, which is a recurring theme you will see across people-focused questions.
Zlatan X.Jul 5, 2026Agreed on D, though the strategic angle worth noting is that building internal capability is itself a benefit realization outcome the program needs to govern, not just a people-focused sentiment.
Anjali D.Jul 2, 2026Our group landed on D. The PMBOK ethos is to support team growth and build internal capacity, so letting willing developers learn the new tech aligns with resource development and team engagement. A is the trap because outsourcing sounds like the safe call when nobody has the skills, but the stem says the devs volunteered and are confident, which the PM should encourage. A few folks in our group argued A could still be valid if the timeline is tight, but since the question does not mention an imminent deadline, D is the better fit. Anyone else see this one on the actual exam recently?
Zlatan X.Jul 5, 2026D is the correct call here. The PMI mindset favors developing internal capability and supporting team member growth whenever feasible, which aligns with servant leadership principles. Outsourcing or descoping would be premature given the developers have expressed willingness and confidence to own the technology. Does anyone know if the exam distinguishes between acceptable self-learning scenarios versus situations where the risk to benefits realization is too high to proceed without external expertise?