CAPM Course Notes

If the question asks why work should be approved before planning begins, PMI expects the business case and project charter to be separated. The business case explains why the organization should invest in the work. The project charter formally authorizes the project, names the project manager, and gives enough authority to start using organizational resources.

• Choosing the project charter when the question asks why the organization should invest; the business case owns the justification, while the charter authorizes the project.

• If the clue says justify the investment, think business case; if it says authorize the project, think charter.

Predictive questions usually say the requirements are stable, the scope is known, or the organization wants detailed planning before execution. PMI expects a plan-driven answer: define scope, decompose deliverables, approve baselines, and control changes through an agreed process instead of letting work drift informally.

• Adding requested work because it seems small; in predictive delivery, changes to approved baselines go through change control.

• Stable scope and approved baselines point to predictive planning.

Agile questions usually include uncertainty, changing requirements, frequent feedback, or the need to deliver value in small increments. PMI expects an adaptive answer when learning is still happening. Predictive planning fits stable scope; adaptive planning fits evolving scope where the team inspects, adapts, and reprioritizes often.

• Assigning Product Backlog ordering to the project manager; in Scrum, the Product Owner is accountable for ordering the Product Backlog.

• Changing requirements and frequent feedback point to adaptive delivery.

Business analysis questions often ask whether the team understands the problem before choosing a solution. PMI expects the business need to describe the reason for change, while requirements describe what the solution must do or satisfy. Do not jump to solution details when the question is still asking what problem or opportunity exists.

• Jumping to a solution before confirming the business need; PMI expects the problem or opportunity to be understood first.

• Business need explains why; requirement explains what must be true of the solution.

Stakeholder questions ask how the project manager should keep people engaged, not merely informed. PMI expects the response to analyze stakeholder needs, choose the right communication method, tailor cadence and detail, and create feedback loops. If a stakeholder is surprised late in the project, the better answer is usually earlier two-way engagement.

• Sending a status report when the stakeholder issue needs two-way engagement or a direct conversation.

• Complex or sensitive communication usually needs interactive communication.