PMI-RMP PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

In agile projects, the risk burndown chart is used to monitor the reduction of project risk over time. If risk exposure is found to be increasing, it is essential to act immediately by selecting and implementing risk mitigation actions that can reduce exposure in upcoming iterations. The PMI “Agile Practice Guide” and the PMBOK® Guide state:

“In agile projects, risks are identified and managed continuously. When risk exposure is high, mitigation actions (often called ‘risk mitigation stories’) should be prioritized in the next iteration or sprint to bring exposure back to acceptable levels.”

— Agile Practice Guide, PMI, Section 5.7 (Responding to Risks in Agile Projects)

“Project teams may develop risk response actions as work items and prioritize these for execution in the backlog, particularly in iterative and incremental environments.”

— PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Section 11.6.2.3

Therefore, prioritizing risk mitigation stories for the next sprint (Option C) is the most effective and officially recommended response.

The project manager should monitor and control secondary and residual risks in the risk register. This will ensure that any new risks identified during the implementation of the risk response plan are captured and managed effectively. Monitoring and controlling risks is a continuous process that helps in identifying, analyzing, and planning for new risks as well as updating the risk register as needed.

 According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® Examination Content Outline, one of the tasks under the domain of Risk Response Planning is to “identify and assess the effectiveness of alternative strategies to reduce threats or enhance opportunities, such as mitigation, transference, avoidance, and acceptance” 1. This implies that the project manager should also consider the potential secondary or residual risks that may arise from implementing the chosen risk response strategy. Secondary risks are new risks that are created as a direct result of implementing a risk response, while residual risks are those that remain after the risk response has been executed 2. Both types of risks should be identified and assessed for their impact and probability, and added to the risk register for further monitoring and control. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

A product roadmap is a strategic document that outlines the vision, direction, and progress of a product over time. It serves as a communication tool, aligning stakeholders on the product's goals and the plan to achieve them.

Option D: Product vision, business objectives, timeframes.

This option encapsulates the essential elements of a product roadmap:

Product Vision: Defines the long-term mission and purpose of the product, providing a clear direction and inspiration.

Business Objectives: Specific, measurable goals that the product aims to achieve, aligning with the organization's strategic aims.

Timeframes: Indicative timelines for achieving milestones, helping to set expectations and facilitate planning.

The PMI-RMP® Exam Prep Study Guide highlights that "a well-structured product roadmap includes the product vision, aligned business objectives, and projected timeframes to guide development and stakeholder communication" (Fremouw, 2021, p. 89).

Option A: Detailed design plan, business objectives, timeframes.

While business objectives and timeframes are integral to a product roadmap, a detailed design plan is typically too granular for this high-level document. The roadmap focuses on overarching goals and timelines rather than specific design details.

Option B: Project management plan, communications management plan, stakeholder engagement plan.

These components are elements of project management planning but do not constitute a product roadmap. They pertain to the processes and methodologies of managing a project rather than outlining the strategic direction of a product.

Option C: Project release timeframes, detailed design plan.

Project release timeframes are relevant to a product roadmap; however, combining them solely with a detailed design plan omits the critical aspects of product vision and business objectives, which are necessary to provide context and purpose.

In summary, a comprehensive product roadmap should primarily include the product vision, business objectives, and timeframes (Option D), offering a strategic overview that guides the product's development and aligns stakeholders with its intended direction.

Setting risk thresholds in collaboration with stakeholders ensures clarity on what is considered tolerable risk. PMBOK® Guide and ISO 31000 state:

"Risk thresholds reflect the degree of risk that stakeholders are willing to accept. These should be defined collaboratively at the start of the project."

— PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Section 11.1

"The organization should define its risk criteria and thresholds, in consultation with stakeholders."

— ISO 31000:2018, Section 6.3

 According to the PMBOK® Guide1, risk identification is the process of determining which risks may affect the project and documenting their characteristics. It involves the use of various techniques to gather information from different sources and perspectives, such as stakeholders, experts, historical data, assumptions, and environmental factors. Some of the common techniques for risk identification are meetings, facilitated workshops, interviews, brainstorming, checklists, questionnaires, SWOT analysis, and root cause analysis. These techniques help to elicit the knowledge and opinions of the participants, and to generate a comprehensive list of potential risks that can be further analyzed and prioritized. In this case, the risk management expert should recommend the agency to conduct meetings, facilitated workshops, and interviews with stakeholders to identify potential risks and develop the handbook. This will help to understand the context and objectives of the agency, the expectations and concerns of the farmers and landlords, the challenges and opportunities in the agriculture sector, and the possible sources and impacts of uncertainty. The risk management expert can then use the information gathered from these techniques to create a risk register and a risk management plan, which can form the basis of the handbook. This is part of the Identify Risks process in the PMBOK® Guide1. References: 1: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition

Engaging stakeholders through meetings, workshops, and interviews is crucial for risk identification, as it allows the agency to gather diverse perspectives and insights on potential risks. This approach is more effective than relying solely on standard tools or hiring an expert.

When closing risks as part of the closing process, it is important to update the lessons learned document. This document captures the knowledge and experience gained during the project and can be valuable for future projects.

 Lessons learned is a document that captures the knowledge gained from the project and can help improve the performance of future projects. It is one of the outputs of the project closure process and should include information on the project risks, issues, and responses. Lessons learned can help identify the best practices and lessons to be applied or avoided in similar projects. Updating the lessons learned document is an important part of closing the risks as it can provide valuable insights for risk management. References: PMI, Project Risk Management, 2nd edition, 2019, p. 97-981

Before deciding to hire an external vendor to accelerate the delivery plan, it's essential to assess the potential internal and external factors that could influence this decision. Conducting a SWOT analysis allows the project team to systematically evaluate:

Strengths: Internal capabilities that could support the decision.

Weaknesses: Internal limitations or challenges.

Opportunities: External factors the project could capitalize on.

Threats: External factors that could pose risks.

This comprehensive assessment provides a balanced perspective, enabling informed decision-making regarding the engagement of an external vendor.

PMI Risk Management Study Guide References:

The PMI-RMP Exam Content Outline lists SWOT analysis as a technique for assessing project risk complexity and identifying potential threats and opportunities, facilitating informed decision-making in project risk management.

Meeting with the traffic authority staff responsible for the new regulation allows the project manager and risk manager to understand the potential changes and their impact on the project. This will help them proactively address any potential issues and ensure the project complies with the new regulations.

According to the PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Chapter 11: Project Risk Management1, the project manager and the risk manager should handle this situation by meeting with the traffic authority staff in charge of the new regulation. This is because:

The new traffic regulation is an external risk that could affect the project objectives, such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, and customer satisfaction. External risks are those that arise from outside the project boundaries and are beyond the control of the project team. Examples of external risks include changes in government policies, regulations, laws, market conditions, environmental factors, etc.

The project manager and the risk manager should proactively engage with the external stakeholders who have the power and influence to create or modify the external risks. By meeting with the traffic authority staff, they can establish a positive relationship, gain insights into the new regulation, and influence its development to align with the project needs. They can also obtain information on the probability and impact of the risk, as well as the potential response strategies.

The other options are not effective in handling this situation because:

Ensuring the project complies with the current traffic regulations and laws does not address the risk of the new regulation that could change the project requirements, scope, or deliverables. It also does not help the project team to prepare for the possible changes and mitigate their negative effects.

Sending a letter to the traffic authority with the general project information does not establish a direct and timely communication channel with the external stakeholder. It also does not provide enough details or feedback to understand the nature and implications of the new regulation.

Performing inquiries on the website of the traffic authority weekly does not allow the project team to influence the development of the new regulation or obtain reliable and updated information. It also does not enable the project team to build trust and rapport with the external stakeholder.

PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, Chapter 11: Project Risk Management1

Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® Exam Cert Guide2

The process of assessing the likelihood and impact of each identified risk is part of the Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis process. This process helps prioritize risks based on their probability and impact, allowing the project team to focus on the most significant risks. By doing so, the project manager and team can allocate resources and effort to address the risks that pose the greatest threat or opportunity to the project.

The process of assessing the likelihood and impact of each risk is part of the Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis process, which is the process of prioritizing individual project risks for further analysis or action by assessing their probability of occurrence and impact as well as other characteristics. This process helps the project manager and the team to focus on the high-priority risks that have the most influence on achieving the project objectives. The other processes are not relevant to the question scenario. Plan Risk Management is the process of defining how to conduct risk management activities for a project. Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis is the process of numerically analyzing the effect of identified risks on overall project objectives. Monitor and Control Risk is the process of implementing risk response plans, tracking identified risks, monitoring residual risks, identifying new risks, and evaluating risk process effectiveness throughout the project. References: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Examination Content Outline and Specifications, page 71. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, pages 397-3982.

If a risk requires external help and the contracting process is long, it is prudent to start the process immediately to avoid delays. This proactive approach ensures that the necessary resources will be available when needed. According to PMI guidelines, early action to address risk is essential, especially when external dependencies are involved. Documenting the risk in the risk register or analyzing it further can be done concurrently, but starting the contracting process mitigates the risk of delay​.

The risk manager should increase stakeholder risk appetite by explaining risk handling and mitigation strategies, which will help stakeholders understand how risks can be managed and reduced, making them more comfortable with the risk process.

The best way to increase stakeholder risk appetite is to explain risk handling and mitigation strategies, which are the actions taken to reduce the probability and/or impact of risks, or to enhance the opportunities. By doing so, the risk manager can help the stakeholders understand how the risks can be managed effectively and efficiently, and how the potential benefits can outweigh the potential costs. This can also increase the stakeholder confidence and trust in the risk process and the project outcomes. The other options are not appropriate ways to increase stakeholder risk appetite. Excluding risk averse stakeholders from future risk discussions can alienate them and create conflicts. Increasing the impact of all risks in the risk breakdown structure (RBS) can exaggerate the risk exposure and create unnecessary fear and anxiety. Developing a generous probabilistic cash flow model can create unrealistic expectations and lead to poor decision making. References: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Examination Content Outline and Specifications, page 81. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, pages 403-4042.

To address the lack of risk management buy-in from the project team, the risk manager should organize risk engagement activities, such as workshops. These activities can help create awareness of the importance of risk management and motivate the team to take their risk management responsibilities seriously.

 Risk engagement is the process of involving stakeholders in risk management activities, such as identifying, analyzing, prioritizing, and responding to risks. Risk engagement activities are designed to motivate and influence the project team and other stakeholders to take their risk management responsibilities seriously and to understand the benefits of risk management for the project’s success. Risk engagement activities can include workshops, games, simul-ations, brainstorming sessions, surveys, interviews, and other interactive methods. Risk engagement activities can help to create a positive risk culture, improve communication and collaboration, increase risk awareness and ownership, and enhance risk management skills and knowledge. References: PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Examination Content Outline and Specifications1, page 9; Mastering PMI-RMP Domains, Tasks, and Enablers for Effective Risk2

To avoid overspending due to the unanticipated increase in material costs, the project team should have properly documented the triggers and actions for the risk. By identifying and documenting triggers—such as market conditions that could lead to price increases—the team could have monitored these triggers more closely and taken preemptive action, such as locking in prices or adjusting the budget accordingly.

PMI recommends that triggers for risks be identified and documented during the planning phase so that appropriate monitoring and responses can be implemented as part of the risk management plan​​.

Regression analysis is a data analysis tool that helps identify variables that impact the schedule and determine how these factors interact. It is used to forecast future performance based on historical data and the relationship between variables. (Reference: PMBOK Guide, 6th Edition, p. 248)

According to the PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) Reference Materials, regression analysis is a data analysis tool that examines the relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent variable1. Regression analysis can be used to forecast future performance based on historical data and trends2. In this case, the risk manager wants to identify which variables will impact the schedule (the dependent variable) and determine how these factors interact (the independent variables). Therefore, the risk manager should use regression analysis to create a mathematical model that can predict the schedule performance based on the values of the variables. Regression analysis can also help the risk manager to assess the significance and strength of the relationship between the variables and the schedule3.

The risk manager should advise the project manager to hire additional developers as soon as project metrics indicate that the risk of delay is materializing. This approach ensures that the response is timely and directly tied to the project’s actual performance, allowing for better resource management and minimizing unnecessary costs. This aligns with PMI's risk management principles, which advocate for the timely execution of risk responses based on objective data and metrics​.

The project manager should have performed an analysis to ensure that the change request was valid and well-supported before submitting it to the sponsor. This would help in making a strong case for the change request and increase the chances of its approval.

The project manager should have performed an analysis to affirm the request is valid before submitting, as this would help to justify the need for the change and to demonstrate its impact on the project objectives, scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk. The project manager should also have consulted with the project team, the subcontractor, and the risk owner to determine the best risk response strategy and to estimate the resources and time required for the change. By performing an analysis, the project manager could have increased the chances of getting the change request approved by the sponsor and avoided wasting time and effort on an invalid request. References: The Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects, page 79; PMBOK Guide, 6th edition, page 115.

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

Extreme Programming (XP) emphasizes continuous feedback, early testing, and adaptive planning. When discrepancies arise, XP encourages identifying root causes and taking corrective actions without delaying value delivery.

Option D: Run a spike, identify what went wrong during implementation, and request a change to enhance value delivery (Correct Answer).

A spike is a time-boxed research activity used to explore a problem, test assumptions, and mitigate uncertainty in XP methodology.

By running a spike, the team analyzes what went wrong in implementation and applies the findings to ensure future iterations align with customer needs.

The PMI-RMP Guide states that “proactive risk response planning helps teams course-correct and maintain delivery momentum” (PMI-RMP Exam Prep Study Guide, 2021, p. 142).

The Agile Practice Guide supports the use of spikes, highlighting that “spikes allow agile teams to validate uncertainties in requirements, leading to more informed decision-making” (PMI & Agile Alliance, 2017, p. 89).

Option A: Release this version and leave changes to be done at the end of the project phase (Incorrect).

XP emphasizes continuous improvement and early defect resolution rather than postponing fixes.

Leaving changes until later may increase technical debt and reduce user satisfaction.

Option B: Arrange a workshop where all ideas will be discussed and take corrective actions ensuring value delivery (Partially Correct but Not the Best Answer).

While workshops help gather feedback, they do not provide technical validation of what went wrong.

A spike (Option D) is a better approach because it directly investigates the issue and leads to actionable changes.

Option C: Ask the development team to brainstorm and come up with suggestions that will improve the delivery date (Incorrect).

Brainstorming may generate ideas but does not analyze the root cause of the discrepancies.

Without a structured approach like a spike, there is a risk of guessing rather than using data-driven solutions.

Final Verdict:

The best answer is D (Run a spike, identify what went wrong during implementation, and request a change to enhance value delivery) because a spike provides empirical insights, leading to more effective corrective actions.

The risk register is a dynamic document that must capture not only planned risk responses but also the actual outcomes of risks and the effectiveness of risk responses implemented. According to the PMBOK® Guide:

“The risk register should be updated with information on the results of risk responses, risk event outcomes, and actual effectiveness of the actions taken. This enables ongoing learning and continuous improvement in risk management.”

— PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition, Section 11.7.3.2 (Project Document Updates: Risk Register)

This ensures that both the realized outcomes of risks and the success or failure of responses are tracked for future reference and lessons learned.