Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving that involves empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. It helps project managers and teams to understand the needs, preferences, and pain points of the end users and stakeholders, and to create solutions that are desirable, feasible, and viable. By incorporating design thinking practices into the project life cycle, the project manager can avoid missing the mark on many features and deliver a product that meets or exceeds the stakeholder's expectations. Some of the design thinking practices that can be applied in the project life cycle are:
* Stakeholder mapping: This is a technique to identify and analyze the key stakeholders of the project, their roles, interests, expectations, and influence. It helps to align the project objectives with the stakeholder needs and to plan the communication and engagement strategies. Stakeholder mapping can be done at the initiation stage of the project and updated throughout the project as needed.
* Persona creation: This is a technique to create fictional characters that represent the typical end users of the product. Personas help to empathize with the users and to design the product features and functions that suit their needs, goals, and behaviors. Persona creation can be done at the planning stage of the project and validated with real users during the execution stage.
* User journey mapping: This is a technique to visualize the steps and interactions that the users go through when using the product. User journey mapping helps to identify the pain points, opportunities, and emotions of the users and to design the product features and functions that enhance their experience. User journey mapping can be done at the planning stage of the project and refined with user feedback during the execution stage.
* Prototyping and testing: This is a technique to create and test low-fidelity or high-fidelity versions of the product with the users and stakeholders. Prototyping and testing help to validate the assumptions, gather feedback, and improve the product features and functions. Prototyping and testing can be done iteratively at the execution stage of the project and finalized at the closing stage. References:
* 1: Stakeholder analysis 101: a project manager's guide - Office Timeline
* 2: 4 Reasons Project Stakeholder Feedback is Important
* 3: How to Gather and Control Stakeholder Feedback and Reaction
* 4: Overcoming the Challenges of Collecting Stakeholder Feedback for Project Management
* [5]: Design Thinking for Project Managers - PMI
* [6]: Design Thinking for Project Management - ProjectManager

Making work visible using kanban boards is a technique that helps to manage the flow of work and identify bottlenecks or impediments. Kanban boards show the status of each work item, the priority, the assignee, and the dependencies. This way, the project manager can monitor the progress of the software development, communicate with the team and the stakeholders, and resolve any issues that arise. Applying lean manufacturing to limit the team's work is not a suitable option, as it does not address the root cause of the delays or impediments. Increasing retrospectives to deliver results fast is not a realistic solution, as it may compromise the quality of the software and the team's morale. Incorporating small batches of work into the project is a good practice for agile projects, but it does not solve the problem of lack of information or communication. References: Project Management Professional Sample Questions, page 10, question 84. [A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)], Sixth Edition, page 188, section
6.2.2.4. [Agile Practice Guide], page 51, section 4.2.2.

The stakeholder register is a key input for managing communications. In Agile, frequent communication and stakeholder inclusion are vital. If there's a failure due to incorrect contact data, the Scrum Master should proactively review and verify the full stakeholder register to ensure it's accurate and complete, preventing recurrence.
According to the PMBOK Guide - Seventh Edition (Stakeholder and Communication Performance Domains), it is the responsibility of the project team to maintain accurate stakeholder information. This promotes engagement, transparency, and effective decision-making.
Option A places undue burden on the product owner and is inefficient.
Option B shifts responsibility to the stakeholder.
Option C demonstrates poor accountability.
References:
PMBOK Guide - Seventh Edition, Stakeholder Performance Domain
Agile Practice Guide, Chapter 4 - Stakeholder Engagement
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According to the PMBOK Guide, an issue log is a project document that records and tracks any issues that arise during the project and require resolution. It is part of the project communications management process and helps the project manager to monitor and control the project performance. When a key supplier goes bankrupt and cannot supply the contracted material, this is an issue that affects the project scope, schedule, cost, and quality. Therefore, the project manager should first update the issue log with the details of the issue, such as the description, impact, priority, owner, and status. Then, the project manager should act to minimize the impact of the issue by implementing appropriate actions, such as finding alternative suppliers, negotiating new contracts, adjusting the project plan, or requesting changes. The project manager should also communicate the issue and the actions to the relevant stakeholders, such as the project team, the sponsor, the customer, and the supplier. Updating the issue log and acting to minimize the impact are proactive and responsible steps that the project manager should take first to address the issue and ensure the project success. References: PMBOK Guide, A practical approach to supply-chain risk management

The project manager could have avoided higher baseline costs by verifying applicable budget inputs related to the project. This involves establishing a baseline that clearly describes the project scope, cost, and schedule1. If deviations from the baseline become necessary, project managers must follow an agreed-upon protocol for communicating issues, determining next steps, and making changes to the plan1. Cost estimation is critical for success in project management because every project manager must estimate all project costs before creating a project budget2. If the project budget is insufficient, it's very likely to face cost overrun2. References:
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/7-tips-for-preventing-cost-overrun-on-projects
https://training-nyc.com/learn/pmp-certification/baseline