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Process Domain

Issue Management PMP Practice Questions

Test yourself with 7 free, scenario-based PMP practice questions on issue 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 7

During project execution, a key supplier delivers materials that fail quality inspection. Production cannot continue until replacement materials arrive, which will take 5 days. What should the project manager do FIRST?

  1. A.Log the issue in the issue log and wait for the supplier to resolve it independently — the supplier is contractually responsible for their delivery, and direct PM intervention may overstep contract boundaries.
  2. B.Issue a formal penalty notice per the contract's late delivery provisions — invoking penalty clauses signals the seriousness of the breach and triggers the contract's formal dispute resolution mechanism.
  3. C.Immediately escalate to the project sponsor — supplier delays of this severity require executive authority to compel the vendor to respond and protect the project schedule.
  4. D.Document the issue, assess the schedule impact, implement a workaround if possible (e.g., sequence other work to fill the gap).
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Effective issue management requires: (1) documenting the issue; (2) assessing the impact — 5 days could affect the schedule baseline; (3) implementing a workaround to minimize impact where possible; and (4) processing a change request if the baseline is affected. Simply waiting is passive. Penalty notices may be appropriate but do not solve the immediate production problem. Sponsor escalation is premature before the project manager has assessed the full situation and options.

Question 2 of 7

What is the difference between a risk and an issue in project management?

  1. A.A risk is an uncertain event that may occur in the future; an issue is a risk that has occurred and is currently affecting the project.
  2. B.Risks belong in the issue log for active tracking; issues belong in the risk register as materialized uncertainties that originated from the project's identified and monitored risk sources.
  3. C.Issues are the sponsor's responsibility as they directly affect business outcomes; risks are the project manager's accountability as the person responsible for proactive planning and prevention.
  4. D.Risks and issues are interchangeable terms in modern project management — both represent uncertainties that require active monitoring and response planning regardless of whether they have occurred yet.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

A risk is a potential future event with uncertain probability — it may or may not happen. An issue is a realized risk or any current problem actively impacting the project. Risks are tracked in the risk register; issues go in the issue log. When a risk materializes, it transitions from the risk register to the issue log. The response changes: risks get mitigation/contingency plans; issues get workarounds and corrective actions. The distinction is fundamental to proactive project management.

Question 3 of 7

A team member raises a blocker during the daily standup: they cannot complete their task because they are waiting for another team's API documentation. This has been blocked for 3 days. What should the Scrum Master do?

  1. A.Add the blocker to the issue log and let the team member resolve it on their own
  2. B.Actively facilitate removal of the impediment — contact the other team, escalate to management if needed
  3. C.Remove the blocker from the sprint by reassigning the story
  4. D.Accept the delay and adjust the sprint commitment at the end of the sprint
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

The Scrum Master's primary role is to remove impediments. A 3-day blocker is significant — it threatens the sprint goal. The Scrum Master should proactively contact the other team, escalate if necessary, and make the blocker visible on the sprint board. Simply documenting it is passive. Reassigning the story does not fix the underlying dependency issue. Waiting until sprint end means the team absorbs the delay unnecessarily. Scrum Masters serve the team by actively clearing the path.

Question 4 of 7

A project manager's issue log has 35 open issues. The project sponsor asks for a concise briefing on the most critical issues. What is the BEST way to present this?

  1. A.Review all 35 issues in detail so the sponsor has full visibility — senior leaders need complete information to make decisions, and summarizing risks omitting a critical item.
  2. B.Send the full issue log as an email attachment — providing raw data allows the sponsor to review independently and draw their own conclusions without the PM's editorial framing.
  3. C.Present the top 5-10 issues prioritized by severity, impact on project objectives, and urgency — with recommended actions for each.
  4. D.Only report resolved issues to maintain a positive tone — presenting closed items demonstrates delivery progress and avoids raising concern about problems still being actively managed.
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Correct answer: C

Executives and sponsors need concise, prioritized information that enables decision-making. Presenting the top issues by severity and impact — with clear recommended actions — respects the sponsor's time and focuses the conversation on what matters most. Reviewing all 35 wastes executive time. Sending the raw log shifts the burden of analysis to the sponsor. Reporting only resolved issues is misleading and hides active risks — it is ethically inappropriate.

Question 5 of 7

During a project, an issue arises that cannot be resolved at the project manager level — it requires a decision from the program manager. What should the project manager do?

  1. A.Resolve the issue independently to avoid burdening senior management — the PM is accountable for managing project-level issues autonomously, and escalating routine problems signals an inability to manage the role.
  2. B.Call an all-hands meeting to decide the issue collectively — bringing all affected parties together ensures every impacted team contributes to the cross-project dependency decision.
  3. C.Hold the issue open until the next scheduled program review — maintaining the standard governance cadence prevents ad-hoc escalations that disrupt the program manager's other priorities.
  4. D.Document the issue, include recommended options and their implications, and escalate to the program manager with the information needed to make a decision.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Escalation is appropriate when an issue exceeds the project manager's authority or decision-making scope. Effective escalation includes: clear issue description, timeline, options with pros/cons, and a recommended course of action. This gives the program manager the context needed to decide efficiently. Resolving beyond authority creates risk and may violate governance. An all-hands meeting is inappropriate for management-level decisions. Waiting for a scheduled review may allow the issue to worsen.

Question 6 of 7

An agile team uses an impediment backlog to track blockers. At the end of a sprint, 5 of 8 impediments remain unresolved. What does this signal?

  1. A.The team has too many simultaneous impediments for the Scrum Master to manage effectively — the volume indicates a systemic organizational pattern that needs to be escalated rather than handled at the team level.
  2. B.Impediments should be closed at sprint end regardless of resolution status — clearing the log each cycle prevents stale entries from accumulating and keeps the backlog focused on current work.
  3. C.The Scrum Master may not be effectively removing impediments, or there are systemic organizational issues beyond the team's control.
  4. D.The product owner should take over impediment resolution — their organizational authority and business relationships make them better positioned than the Scrum Master to address systemic blockers.
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Correct answer: C

Persistent unresolved impediments signal one of two problems: (1) the Scrum Master is not actively facilitating resolution — escalating to management, coordinating with other teams, or removing bureaucratic barriers; or (2) the impediments are systemic organizational issues (culture, politics, tools) that cannot be resolved at the team level and require management attention. The Scrum Master should escalate these patterns to organizational leadership. Closing impediments without resolution hides real problems. The product owner is not responsible for impediment removal.

Question 7 of 7

A risk has materialized and is now affecting execution. What is the MOST accurate project management treatment?

  1. A.Manage it as an issue requiring active resolution, while preserving traceability to the original risk if useful.
  2. B.Continue treating the materialized risk as a risk — maintaining the original label preserves traceability and avoids the administrative overhead of reclassifying actively monitored register entries.
  3. C.Remove the item from all tracking logs once it occurs — materialized risks are no longer uncertainties and should be managed operationally rather than through formal project monitoring systems.
  4. D.Return it to the product backlog for prioritization — treating the materialized risk as a new backlog item gives the team a structured opportunity to assign response resources in the next sprint.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Once a risk occurs, it becomes an issue that needs active management. Maintaining traceability can still be useful for learning and reporting.

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