PMP · Question #950
A project manager is initiating a project to create a new service that has never been done before in their organization. The project manager is trying to determine what resources are required for thei
The correct answer is B. Determine if there is a subject matter expert (SME) who has expertise in the new service to assist. When initiating a project for a new service with conflicting resource requirements, the project manager should first seek a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist in determining accurate resource needs.
Question
A project manager is initiating a project to create a new service that has never been done before in their organization. The project manager is trying to determine what resources are required for their project team but is receiving conflicting resource requirements from the team, sponsor, and key stakeholders. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AIdentify the resources that are agreed upon to initiate the project and request additional resources
- BDetermine if there is a subject matter expert (SME) who has expertise in the new service to assist
- CEvaluate and prioritize the resource requests from the project's key stakeholders.
- DEvaluate the resource options and propose alternatives to the project team for their approval.
How the community answered
(32 responses)- A9% (3)
- B81% (26)
- C3% (1)
- D6% (2)
Why each option
When initiating a project for a new service with conflicting resource requirements, the project manager should first seek a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist in determining accurate resource needs.
Identifying only agreed-upon resources and planning to request more later is reactive and risks under-resourcing or missing critical skills from the outset without resolving the underlying conflict.
For a project involving a new service never done before, conflicting resource requirements indicate a lack of clear understanding or consensus among stakeholders. Consulting a Subject Matter Expert (SME) can provide critical insights into the necessary skills and resources, helping to clarify requirements, resolve disagreements, and establish an informed baseline for resource planning by leveraging authoritative knowledge and experience.
While evaluating and prioritizing requests is necessary, it cannot be effectively done when there are fundamental conflicts and a lack of clear understanding about what is required for an unprecedented service, making SME input more foundational.
Proposing alternatives to the project team for approval without first establishing a solid, expert-informed understanding of the actual needs risks perpetuating the conflict or making suboptimal decisions.
Concept tested: Resource planning with subject matter experts
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/project/identify-and-allocate-resources
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Lena V.Apr 20, 2026B is correct. When the service has never been done before in the organization, internal stakeholders are essentially guessing at resource needs. Finding an SME with experience in that specific service type gives you an informed baseline to evaluate those conflicting requests against. A, C, and D all move forward without resolving the core problem, which is a lack of domain knowledge driving the disagreement.
Fatima Z.May 2, 2026Leaned toward C first, then realized a brand-new service screams for an SME.
Wesley A.Apr 7, 2026Saw this one on my second attempt and almost talked myself into C because it sounded like the "stakeholder engagement" answer, but the key is that the service has never been done before in the organization, so you need an SME who actually knows the domain to cut through the conflicting opinions. B is correct because when you are dealing with something genuinely new, you bring in outside expertise rather than just trying to prioritize or negotiate between people who are all guessing.
Carlos M.Apr 14, 2026A is the right call here. During initiation you are not going to get perfect resource requirements on something the org has never done before, so you work with what consensus exists and move forward. The conflicting inputs are expected at this stage and you can refine resource needs as planning progresses. Trying to resolve every disagreement before initiating just stalls the project, and the PMs job is to get things moving with what is agreed upon.
Wesley A.Apr 16, 2026Actually B is correct here, and this is exactly the trap that cost me points on my first attempt. When stakeholders give conflicting resource estimates you need to facilitate a conversation and document the assumptions you are working from, not just pick the consensus number and hope planning sorts it out later.