PMP · Question #840
A project manager is assigned to a parachute development project. Two of the key project resources have a disagreement regarding a requirement. What should the project manager do?
The correct answer is A. Refer to the ground rules that were set at the beginning of the project to help resolve the conflict.. To resolve a disagreement regarding a requirement between key project resources, the project manager should refer to the project's established ground rules.
Question
Options
- ARefer to the ground rules that were set at the beginning of the project to help resolve the conflict.
- BReassign both of the resources to a different project to avoid conflict.
- CConsider recommendations from a resource who has more experience with this situation.
- DDefine an action plan based on the project manager's experience.
How the community answered
(21 responses)- A81% (17)
- B10% (2)
- C5% (1)
- D5% (1)
Why each option
To resolve a disagreement regarding a requirement between key project resources, the project manager should refer to the project's established ground rules.
Ground rules, often established early in a project's lifecycle, define the expected behaviors, communication protocols, and conflict resolution processes for the team. Referring to these previously agreed-upon guidelines provides a neutral and objective framework for addressing disagreements, empowering the team members to resolve the conflict themselves within established boundaries, and promoting a respectful and collaborative environment. This aligns with fostering team self-management and accountability.
Reassigning key resources is an extreme measure that could negatively impact project progress and team morale, and should only be considered as a last resort.
While getting recommendations from experienced resources can be helpful, it bypasses the team's established ground rules for conflict resolution and doesn't empower the team to solve their own issues first.
Defining an action plan based solely on the project manager's experience might be perceived as autocratic and may not align with team agreements or foster long-term conflict resolution skills within the team.
Concept tested: Conflict resolution using team ground rules
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/current
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Ingrid P.Jan 24, 2026A is correct. Ground rules are a Team Charter artifact and the PMP exam wants you to lean on them whenever two resources clash on a requirement. Option D sounds pragmatic but it skips the agreed process and just imposes the PM opinion. Option C outsources the call to a senior person, which erodes team ownership. Make a flashcard: conflict over a requirement equals check the ground rules first.
Bao N.Jan 26, 2026Agree on A but worth noting that if the ground rules do not cover this specific type of conflict the exam still expects you to go collaborative, not back to updating the charter.
Wei W.Jan 19, 2026Had a near-identical scenario on my exam last year with two engineers sparring over a spec, and A was the right call because ground rules are the team's shared agreement, not something imposed from above. The PM's job is to point back to what the team already decided together, which keeps self-organization intact.
Bao N.Jan 27, 2026Going with D here. The PM owns the requirement interpretation and the conflict resolution, so stepping in with a defined action plan based on past experience is exactly what the exam wants you to do when two key resources deadlock. A sounds nice on paper but ground rules cover behavior and meeting norms, not technical disputes over a requirement. C is a trap because you are offloading your decision authority to someone who is not accountable for the outcome, and B is just avoidance, which tanks the project.
Wei W.Jan 28, 2026Actually A is correct here. Ground rules in agile are not just about meeting etiquette, they establish how the team collaborates and resolves disagreements, including technical disputes, so that the team self-organizes through conflict rather than waiting for the PM to impose a solution.