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PMP Practice QuestionsTeam Development Stages
People Domain

Team Development Stages PMP Practice Questions

Test yourself with 6 free, scenario-based PMP practice questions on team development stages, drawn from the People 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 6

A new agile team has been working together for three sprints. Disagreements about technical approaches have become frequent, and two team members are competing for informal leadership. The team's velocity is inconsistent. Which Tuckman stage is this team MOST likely in?

  1. A.Forming — the team is still getting to know each other
  2. B.Norming — the team is establishing shared norms and resolving differences
  3. C.Storming — the team is experiencing conflict as roles and approaches are being contested
  4. D.Performing — the team is operating at high efficiency despite some disagreements
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Storming is characterized by interpersonal conflicts, competition for influence, and inconsistent performance as team members push against boundaries. After three sprints, the initial politeness of Forming has given way to real friction. Norming implies the team is resolving differences and building cohesion, which hasn't happened yet. Performing describes teams that operate smoothly and effectively.

Question 2 of 6

A well-performing project team has just completed their final deliverable and the project is being formally closed. Several team members are expressing uncertainty about their next assignments and some are disengaging from final activities. Which Tuckman stage does this BEST describe, and what should the PM do?

  1. A.Performing — the team is at peak productivity, so the PM should minimize interference, celebrate successes, and allow the high-performing team to drive its own work toward completion.
  2. B.Norming — focus on reinforcing the collaborative practices the team has established, ensuring cohesion and performance are maintained through the closure phase of the project.
  3. C.Storming — interpersonal tensions often resurface during project closure as team members face uncertainty about what comes next and begin to compete for post-project assignments.
  4. D.Adjourning — acknowledge the team's achievements, provide closure, and support transitions to next assignments.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Adjourning is the final stage in Tuckman's model, characterized by disengagement as the team disbands. The PM's role here is to provide closure — celebrate accomplishments, acknowledge contributions, support emotional transitions, and facilitate smooth handoffs. The behaviors described (uncertainty, disengagement) are normal in Adjourning, not Performing or Storming. Norming is about establishing cohesion, not closure.

Question 3 of 6

After several sprints of conflict and misalignment, your agile team has started to establish shared working agreements, resolve disagreements more collaboratively, and support each other more consistently. Velocity is stabilizing. Which Tuckman stage has the team entered?

  1. A.Norming — the team is developing cohesion and shared norms
  2. B.Forming — the team is still finding its footing
  3. C.Storming — the team is still working through interpersonal conflict
  4. D.Performing — the team is operating at peak efficiency
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Norming is characterized by the development of shared norms, improved cohesion, mutual support, and stabilizing performance after the turbulence of Storming. The description — working agreements, collaborative resolution, consistent support — fits Norming precisely. Forming is the initial, polite stage. Storming is characterized by conflict, which the team is now moving past. Performing is full-efficiency operation, which typically follows Norming.

Question 4 of 6

Your team is in the Performing stage. A new team member with different working styles joins mid-project. Shortly after their arrival, you notice increased tension and some breakdown in the team's previously smooth collaboration. What should you expect and do?

  1. A.The tension is temporary — ignore it and it will resolve when the new member adapts
  2. B.The team may regress to an earlier Tuckman stage; facilitate re-norming by addressing dynamics proactively
  3. C.Remove the new team member since they are disrupting team performance
  4. D.The new member is the problem — coach them to conform to existing team norms now
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Tuckman's model recognizes that teams can regress to earlier stages when membership changes significantly. A new team member can disrupt established norms and trigger a mini-Storming cycle. The project manager should facilitate re-norming proactively — updating working agreements, reintroducing the team charter, and creating space for the new member to integrate. Ignoring it risks prolonged disruption. Removing the new member is an overreaction. Forcing conformity does not integrate the new member or leverage their different perspective.

Question 5 of 6

A newly formed cross-functional hybrid team has clear roles and seems to be working well on individual tasks. However, there is little collaboration across workstreams, and team members seem cautious about sharing concerns. Which stage is the team MOST likely in, and what is the PM's priority?

  1. A.Performing — the team is efficient and only needs maintenance
  2. B.Norming — the team is building cohesion and needs encouragement
  3. C.Forming — the team is still cautious; the PM should focus on clarity, inclusion, and early relationship-building.
  4. D.Storming — the team is silently competing; the PM should surface and mediate conflicts
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

The Forming stage is characterized by politeness, caution, individual focus, and limited cross-collaboration as team members test the environment. The PM's role at this stage is to provide clarity, build psychological safety, and encourage relationship development. Performing implies high efficiency and collaboration, which is absent here. Norming implies active cohesion-building and shared norms, also not yet evident. Storming involves visible conflict, which is not described.

Question 6 of 6

An agile team has been Performing for four sprints, consistently delivering high-quality work. The project manager starts to disengage and attend fewer team ceremonies. Shortly after, the team's velocity drops and quality issues emerge. What is the MOST likely explanation?

  1. A.High-performing teams naturally experience regression over time without any external trigger — peak performance is inherently temporary, and some decline is expected even with consistent PM support.
  2. B.The PM's disengagement removed important facilitation, visibility, and impediment-clearing support that the team still relied on.
  3. C.The team has entered the Adjourning stage prematurely — as project completion approaches, team members naturally begin to disengage from sprint work and shift focus to what comes next.
  4. D.The sprint goals were set too ambitiously for the team's actual capacity — unrealistic targets create chronic underdelivery that erodes team confidence and gradually reduces velocity.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Even high-performing teams benefit from appropriate PM engagement — not direction, but facilitation, impediment-clearing, and organizational visibility. The PM's withdrawal removed support the team needed even in the Performing stage. Tuckman's model does not suggest inevitable regression without external cause. Adjourning relates to project closure, not a mid-project performance drop. Sprint goal difficulty is not suggested by the scenario.

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