Exam PMP topic 1 question 24 discussion

Negotiating is a type of soft skills a PM must posses

As a project manager, I will take money from the reserves to purchase a new laptop computer for the team member to avoid critical path but also report the expense for tracking purposes

A (Using project reserves to buy new equipment) could be a last resort but is premature without trying to expedite the repairs first.

A.) because it would be a contingency? And I would cite the following: "Project reserves are special provisions for uncertainties which may affect the cost of the project. A variety of reserves should be included in the total planned cost for a long-term project as contingencies against inaccurate preliminary estimates, schedule slippage, technical problems, potential minor changes in project scope, specific events which may or may not occur, etc., and as an overall hedge against problems not anticipated at the time when the preliminary project costs were approved." --- I would like to emphasize "technical issues" from the above statement. While C sounds correct, and you would explain to the IT department that your project is critical, maybe the same approach is done by 100 of your PM colleagues each of which have the most critical project. :)

Option C

C. Explore options with the IT department to expedite the necessary repairs based on criticality of the project

Voted C

C before any other option collaborating with IT dept for other solution is best way to handle the situation.

For me C can't be an option here. As long as IT teams can't provide support during 1 week due to overload, they won't be able to meet the PM to provide solutions, isn't it?

IT department can provide the options and advise to buy or not, possible to repair or not as well.

C is the best solution

C. Explore options with the IT department to expedite the necessary repairs based on criticality of the project

Voted C

A CORRECT

I choose D.

The IT department say they are busy for the next one week. The best option will be to work with them to see if other options can be explored. Note that in self organising teams, they try to figure out solutions for problems themselves before reporting to the project manager. The team member have surely already tried to resolve the problem himself and have been unsucessful. So the project manager can't reforward the problem back to the team member.

B. Schedule a meeting with the project sponsor to request a budget to buy or rent a new computer