PMP · Question #647
A project team is planning the next sprint review. The project lead receives an email from a senior manager asking for a project status using a template that is more detailed than the one used for mon
The correct answer is C. Contact the senior manager and discuss their needs.. When a senior manager requests a project status report with an unfamiliar, detailed template, the project manager should first communicate with the manager to understand their specific needs and the purpose of the request.
Question
Options
- AGive the senior manager access to the product backlog.
- BOrganize a review of the kanban board with the manager.
- CContact the senior manager and discuss their needs.
- DModify the PMO template to include the information.
How the community answered
(26 responses)- A23% (6)
- B12% (3)
- C58% (15)
- D8% (2)
Why each option
When a senior manager requests a project status report with an unfamiliar, detailed template, the project manager should first communicate with the manager to understand their specific needs and the purpose of the request.
Giving direct access to the product backlog might overwhelm the senior manager with raw data or provide information in a format that isn't tailored to their specific questions or level of detail.
Organizing a review of the kanban board with the manager, while offering transparency, might not provide the specific structured information the manager is seeking in the requested template, again potentially leading to miscommunication or unmet expectations.
The project manager should first clarify the senior manager's needs and the reason for the specific, detailed template. This ensures that the provided information is relevant and valuable to the manager, avoiding unnecessary work by creating a new report or sharing raw data that might not be easily interpreted. Understanding the 'why' enables the project manager to provide the most effective and appropriate update.
Modifying the PMO template to include the information without first understanding the senior manager's specific need is premature and could lead to unnecessary work or creating a report that still doesn't meet the manager's actual requirements.
Concept tested: Stakeholder communication and expectation management
Source: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/communicating-with-stakeholders-1300
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Lena V.Jul 5, 2026C is correct. Before sending anything, figure out why the senior manager needs a more detailed template - it could be a specific concern or a one-time ask. PMP loves the "assess and engage stakeholder" answer over jumping straight to action.
Luis F.Jul 4, 2026Went with C on this one and it makes sense because the manager is asking for something different from the standard PMO report. Instead of just throwing the backlog or kanban board at them, you should figure out what specific info they actually need before sending anything. D is tempting since it sounds proactive, but modifying the PMO template could mess up reporting for everyone else just to satisfy one request. Quick question though, if the manager insists on a more detailed template after the discussion, do you create a custom one-off report or push back and explain the team uses agile artifacts?
Wesley A.Jul 5, 2026Agree on C, failed this exam first time and the trap is exactly what you described with D, but to answer your question, if the manager still wants more after the discussion, build them a custom view off the existing data rather than pushing back hard, because one-off reports are fine as long as you are not changing the shared PMO template everyone else depends on.
Dervla O.Jul 5, 2026C is correct because you never just hand over artifacts or rework templates without understanding what the manager actually needs first. D is tempting since the PMI loves tailoring, but modifying the PMO template based on one request without a conversation creates scope creep on your reporting process.
Wesley A.Jul 5, 2026C is correct, confirmed on my second attempt. I almost picked B because the kanban board seems like an easy win, but the senior manager wants a different level of detail than the PMO template, so you need to talk to them first before deciding what to actually provide.
Luis F.Jul 6, 2026Nice catch on the stakeholder alignment piece, Wesley - I picked C on my first attempt too, but the kanban board in B isn't wrong because of the tool itself, it's wrong because no amount of board tweaking matters if you're building the wrong level of reporting.