Expert Judgment

Correct Answer: Engage a neutral third-party expert to provide an unbiased opinion and facilitate a consensus.

The best course of action is to engage a neutral third-party expert to provide an unbiased opinion and facilitate a consensus. This approach allows for an objective perspective to be introduced, which can help break the impasse caused by conflicting expert opinions within the team. A neutral third-party can assess the situation, gather information from all team members, and guide the team towards a mutually agreeable solution. Relying solely on the most senior team member's opinion may not be the best approach, as it dismisses the expertise and input of other team members. This could lead to suboptimal decisions and negatively impact team morale. Holding a vote based on majority opinion may not result in the most effective solution, as it does not guarantee that the best expertise is being leveraged. The majority opinion may not always align with the most technically sound or strategically appropriate direction. Delaying the decision-making process to obtain additional information could be helpful in some situations. However, in this case, the team has already reached an impasse, suggesting that they have exhausted their current knowledge and resources. Introducing a neutral third-party expert is more likely to provide the necessary insights and facilitation to move the project forward.

Correct Answer: Hire a subject matter expert (SME) from outside the organization.

In a situation where a project requires expertise that is not available within the organization, the most appropriate step for a project manager would be to hire a subject matter expert (SME) from outside the organization. This allows the project manager to leverage expert knowledge and skills to assist with project planning and execution. The other options are not appropriate. Requesting additional project funding does not necessarily resolve the issue of lacking needed expertise. Completing the plan without expert judgement might lead to errors or oversights, especially since the project is described as complex. Asking team members to perform tasks outside of their areas of expertise can place undue stress on the team, and might result in work of sub-par quality due to their lack of necessary skills and knowledge.

Correct Answer: Assess the technical capabilities against predefined criteria using industry best practices

The best method for evaluating vendor proposals in a complex telecommunications project is to assess technical capabilities against predefined criteria using industry best practices. This approach is optimal because: - It provides an objective framework for evaluation - Ensures alignment with technical requirements - Follows established industry standards - Creates a systematic evaluation process Why other options are less suitable: Comparing vendor costs and using historical performance data is too narrow in focus and may miss critical technical requirements. Analyzing market reputation and financial stability, while important, should be secondary to technical capability assessment for a complex telecommunications project. Reviewing past implementation rates is valuable but focuses too much on historical performance rather than current technical capabilities and project-specific requirements. In complex technical projects, the primary evaluation method must focus on technical capabilities and adherence to specific project requirements, making the chosen answer the most appropriate approach.