PMPRocket
PMP Practice QuestionsIntegration Management
Process Domain

Integration Management PMP Practice Questions

Test yourself with 16 free, scenario-based PMP practice questions on integration management, drawn from the Process domain of the exam and aligned to PMBOK 8. Work through each scenario before revealing the answer — every question includes an explanation of why the correct choice is right. For randomized, interactive practice across all topics, use the practice question tool.

Question 1 of 16

A project charter has been approved by the sponsor. What does this authorization primarily accomplish?

  1. A.It formally authorizes the project to exist, assigns the project manager, and grants authority to apply organizational resources.
  2. B.It defines the detailed scope, schedule, and cost baselines — the charter is the primary planning document that establishes the commitments the team will be held accountable for throughout the project.
  3. C.It provides a binding contractual commitment to deliver within the stated parameters — signing the charter creates a formal organizational obligation that the PM is legally responsible for fulfilling.
  4. D.It establishes the project performance baseline — the charter's scope, schedule, and cost parameters serve as the official reference against which all progress will be tracked and measured.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

The project charter formally authorizes the project to exist within the organization and establishes the project manager's authority to use resources. It contains high-level information: project purpose, objectives, assumptions, and authority levels. Detailed scope, schedule, and cost baselines (A, D) are developed in the project management plan — not the charter. The charter is not a contract — it is an internal organizational document, often separate from any procurement agreements.

Question 2 of 16

A project manager is developing the project management plan. Which statement BEST describes the relationship between the project management plan and subsidiary plans?

  1. A.The project management plan is a high-level summary that references but does not contain subsidiary plans — each subsidiary plan is maintained separately and updated independently by the responsible process owner.
  2. B.The project management plan integrates and coordinates all subsidiary plans (scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource, communications, risk, procurement, stakeholder) into a comprehensive, consistent guide for project execution.
  3. C.When subsidiary plans are sufficiently detailed, they become the authoritative reference for that management area and effectively replace the corresponding section of the project management plan.
  4. D.The project management plan is developed first to establish the overall governance framework, and subsidiary plans are then added as optional supporting documents based on the project's complexity and risk profile.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

The project management plan is the master integration document that contains or references all subsidiary management plans. Its power lies in integration — ensuring that the scope plan, schedule, cost plan, quality, risk, and other plans are consistent, aligned, and mutually supportive. Changes to one subsidiary plan are evaluated for impacts on all others. The project management plan is typically developed iteratively as subsidiary plans are finalized. It serves as the definitive guide for how the project is executed, monitored, controlled, and closed.

Question 3 of 16

A program manager asks the project manager why the project is reporting green status when it is actually behind schedule and over budget. What governance failure does this suggest?

  1. A.The project management plan and schedule are not integrated — misalignment between planning documents causes EVM calculations to produce inaccurate results that do not reflect actual project performance.
  2. B.The status reporting dashboard has a technical configuration error — software bugs in project tools can cause incorrect data to be displayed without reflecting actual underlying performance metrics.
  3. C.The project manager may be practicing status manipulation (watermelon reporting) — green on the outside, red on the inside — failing to provide transparent reporting.
  4. D.EVM has not been properly implemented on the project — without correctly established performance measurement baselines, earned value calculations cannot accurately reflect the project's cost and schedule position.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Watermelon reporting — appearing green externally while being red internally — is a significant integrity and governance failure. It violates the PMBOK principle of stewardship and the ethical obligation to provide accurate, timely information. Project managers have a professional responsibility to report true status, even when it is unfavorable. Senior management needs accurate data to make decisions. The PM should immediately correct the status report and communicate transparently about the situation and recovery plan.

Question 4 of 16

During project execution, the project manager notices that three subsidiary plans (risk, schedule, and cost) are producing conflicting guidance on how to handle a significant delay. What should the project manager do?

  1. A.Follow the risk management plan since it typically takes governance precedence — in subsidiary plan conflicts, risk considerations should generally override lower-priority scheduling or cost decisions.
  2. B.Follow the cost management plan since budget is the most critical organizational constraint — financial exposure is what executive leadership monitors most closely, making it the highest-priority plan.
  3. C.Ask each plan owner to implement their guidance independently — the owners are best positioned to resolve the tension since they have the deepest knowledge of their respective management domains.
  4. D.Convene a cross-functional review to reconcile the conflicting plans and update the project management plan to ensure consistency.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Integration management requires that all subsidiary plans be consistent and aligned. When conflicts arise, the project manager must facilitate reconciliation across plans — changes to the schedule may affect cost and risk plans, requiring coordinated updates. No single subsidiary plan has inherent priority over others (A, C). Allowing independent plan implementation guarantees divergence and contradictory actions. This is the core value of integrated change control and integration management.

Question 5 of 16

A project manager is closing a project but discovers that one minor deliverable remains incomplete. The customer has formally accepted all other deliverables and considers the project done. What should the project manager do?

  1. A.Close the project immediately since the customer has formally accepted all other deliverables and expressed satisfaction — administrative closure can proceed based on the customer's documented acceptance.
  2. B.Continue the project and keep the full team engaged until the final deliverable is complete — partial delivery is not acceptable, and formal closure cannot occur while any planned deliverable remains outstanding.
  3. C.Transfer the incomplete work to the operations team, who will absorb it into their normal workflow — this is a standard transition practice that avoids extending the project timeline for a minor remaining item.
  4. D.Negotiate with the customer and sponsor on how to handle the incomplete deliverable — options include completing it, formally removing it from scope via a change request, or obtaining explicit written acceptance noting the omission.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Project closure requires that all scope is either delivered or formally removed from scope via change control. The project manager should facilitate a clear decision: complete the item (if feasible), formally de-scope it through change control and update the scope baseline, or obtain written customer acceptance that explicitly acknowledges the omission. Closing without resolution may create future disputes. Keeping the project indefinitely open wastes resources. Secret transfer to operations is unethical.

Question 6 of 16

A project manager is handed a poorly constructed project charter by the sponsor. The charter lacks measurable objectives, authority levels, and assumptions. What should the project manager do?

  1. A.Sign the charter as written to avoid conflict with the sponsor — the PM's role is to execute the sponsor's direction, and objecting early creates an adversarial relationship before work begins.
  2. B.Refuse to accept the project until a properly constructed charter is issued — proceeding without appropriate authority exposes the PM to failure without the organizational backing needed to succeed.
  3. C.Create a supplementary internal charter and use it as an unofficial working document — an informally defined authority structure can substitute for the formal charter's function in practice.
  4. D.Work with the sponsor to strengthen the charter before signing — a weak charter creates authority ambiguity and sets the project up for failure.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

The project charter is the project manager's foundational authority document. Without measurable objectives, the project cannot be declared successful. Without authority levels, the PM cannot manage resources or make decisions effectively. Without documented assumptions, planning is built on uncertain ground. The project manager has a professional responsibility to advocate for a complete, quality charter — even if it requires diplomatically challenging the sponsor. Accepting a weak charter creates problems throughout the project lifecycle.

Question 7 of 16

The project manager notices that the charter defines the objective but not the project manager's authority clearly. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 8 of 16

The project manager notices that several subsidiary plans are being developed independently and may conflict. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
  4. D.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 9 of 16

The project manager notices that approved changes are not consistently reflected in team plans. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  2. B.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  3. C.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 10 of 16

The project manager notices that lessons learned are discussed informally but not captured for future use. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  3. C.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 11 of 16

The project manager notices that the project is nearing closure and stakeholders disagree on what completion means. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 12 of 16

The project manager notices that a phase transition is approaching and key acceptance criteria are not visible. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
  4. D.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 13 of 16

The project manager notices that different leads are optimizing their own work packages at the expense of the whole project. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  2. B.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  3. C.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 14 of 16

The project manager notices that project knowledge is scattered across personal files and email threads. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  3. C.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 15 of 16

The project manager notices that execution is moving quickly, but decision logs are outdated. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
  4. D.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Question 16 of 16

The project manager notices that the team needs to ensure deliverables, plans, and governance actions remain aligned. What should happen FIRST?

  1. A.Allow each lead to manage independently because local optimization is faster
  2. B.Pause all work until every document is perfect and complete
  3. C.Defer alignment until closure because integration mainly matters at the end
  4. D.Integrate plans, decisions, changes, and knowledge so the project continues as a coherent whole
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Integration management keeps the project operating as a system rather than a collection of disconnected tasks. The first response is to align plans, decisions, and information so trade-offs can be managed holistically. Waiting or optimizing in silos usually increases downstream rework.

Ready for exam conditions?

Practice these questions with randomized answer order and instant scoring, or take a full domain-weighted mock exam with a real exam timer.

Start Interactive PracticeTry the PMP Mock Exam

More Process practice questions

Risk Management (21)Quality Management (18)Resource Management (16)Earned Value Management (12)Schedule Management (11)Communications Management (10)