PMP · Question #907
A project manager is leading a project to develop a new mobile application. During an informal conversation, a stakeholder asked the project manager to add new features to the current sprint. What sho
The correct answer is D. Ask the product owner to discuss this request with the stakeholder.. In an Agile context, new feature requests during a sprint should not be accepted directly by the project manager. The project manager should direct the stakeholder to the product owner, who is responsible for managing the product backlog and negotiating changes with stakeholders.
Question
A project manager is leading a project to develop a new mobile application. During an informal conversation, a stakeholder asked the project manager to add new features to the current sprint. What should the project manager do?
Options
- ARequest the stakeholder to wait until the following sprint planning.
- BDiscuss this demand during the following standup meeting.
- CAccept the change request and negotiate the time line.
- DAsk the product owner to discuss this request with the stakeholder.
How the community answered
(58 responses)- A16% (9)
- B7% (4)
- C3% (2)
- D74% (43)
Why each option
In an Agile context, new feature requests during a sprint should not be accepted directly by the project manager. The project manager should direct the stakeholder to the product owner, who is responsible for managing the product backlog and negotiating changes with stakeholders.
While waiting for the next sprint planning is a possible outcome, the project manager's primary role is to facilitate the process, not to unilaterally make decisions about new features; the product owner handles this.
Discussing a significant new feature request during a daily stand-up meeting is inappropriate, as stand-ups are for team coordination on daily progress, not for backlog management or stakeholder negotiations.
Accepting a change request to the *current* sprint mid-sprint would typically disrupt the sprint goal and commit a scope change without proper product owner evaluation and team consensus.
In an Agile framework, the product owner is the definitive authority on the product backlog and its prioritization, serving as the liaison between stakeholders and the development team. If a stakeholder requests new features, the project manager (or Scrum Master role) should direct them to the product owner, who can evaluate the request's value, impact on the current sprint goal, and prioritize it appropriately within the product backlog for future sprints. This ensures the sprint's integrity is maintained and changes are managed through the proper channels.
Concept tested: Agile change management and product owner role
Source: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-product-owner
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Yusuf A.May 21, 2026D is the right call here. One of the senior PMs at my company just drilled this into me, the product owner owns the backlog and prioritizes what gets built, so any new feature requests from stakeholders have to go through them. The PM should not accept changes or negotiate timelines directly during an informal chat, and bringing it up at a standup is wrong because standups are for coordination, not backlog grooming. Does anyone know if the PMP exam always routes stakeholder requests through the product owner like this, or are there exceptions when the PM has more authority?
Luis F.Apr 30, 2026D is the right call here since the product owner owns the backlog and prioritizes what goes into sprints. I was tempted by A at first because it sounds reasonable, but the PM shouldn't be the gatekeeper for stakeholder requests in an Agile setup, that's the PO's job.
Nina C.May 1, 2026Confirmed D on my exam last month, and the other thing to remember is that the PO also translates those stakeholder requests into actual user stories before they hit the backlog, they don't just triage them.
Hiroshi T.May 27, 2026Saw this last month. D is correct per PMI, product owner owns the backlog.
Samuel O.Jun 4, 2026D is correct. Product owner owns the backlog, not the PM.
Nina C.May 14, 2026Going with B here. In agile the daily standup is exactly where you raise new impediments and stakeholder demands so the team can figure out next steps together, rather than letting it sit until sprint planning.
Hiroshi T.May 15, 2026D is correct because the Scrum Guide specifies that the Daily Scrum is focused on inspecting progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapting the plan for the next 24 hours, not for raising new impediments or stakeholder demands. New work or scope discussions belong in the Sprint Planning or Backlog Refinement events, per the official Scrum Guide sections on those ceremonies.