In Project Human Resource Management, which of the following combinations correctly identifies a typical input, a tool or technique, and a primary output of the Acquire Project Team process according to the PMBOK Guide?

Introduction / Context:
Acquire Project Team is a key process within Project Human Resource Management. In this process the project manager obtains the human resources needed to complete the project work, often working with functional managers, external suppliers, and human resource departments. For the PMP exam, knowing the typical inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs for Acquire Project Team helps distinguish it from Develop Project Team and Manage Project Team.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The knowledge area is Project Human Resource Management.
• The process in focus is Acquire Project Team.
• We want one representative input, one tool or technique, and one primary output.
• The project has a human resource plan or staffing management plan created during planning.
• Organizational constraints and resource availability must be considered when acquiring staff.

Concept / Approach:
Acquire Project Team translates planned staffing needs into actual people assigned to roles. A key input is the staffing management plan or human resource plan, which describes what roles are needed, when they are needed, and possibly from where they will be sourced. One major tool and technique is negotiation, as the project manager negotiates with functional managers, external suppliers, or other project managers for shared resources. The primary output is project staff assignments, which document the specific individuals and their roles on the project, often accompanied by resource calendars.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify a logical input. The staffing management plan provides guidance on required skills, reporting relationships, and timing of resource needs for the project. Step 2: Identify a central tool or technique. Negotiation is fundamental because human resources are usually limited and must be shared among competing priorities. Step 3: Choose the primary output. Project staff assignments list the named people who have been assigned to project roles and are now available to perform the work. Step 4: Compare options to find the set that includes staffing management plan, negotiation, and project staff assignments. Step 5: Confirm that the other options clearly belong to scope, schedule, cost, or quality management processes rather than resource acquisition.

Verification / Alternative check:
PMBOK style ITTO tables for Acquire Project Team show the project management plan, staffing management plan, enterprise environmental factors, and organizational process assets as inputs. Tools and techniques include pre-assignment, negotiation, acquisition, virtual teams, and multi-criteria decision analysis. Outputs include project staff assignments, resource calendars, and updates to the project management plan. This matches the combination of staffing management plan, negotiation, and project staff assignments as a valid representative set.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B belongs to scope management and Create WBS. Option C mixes activity list and resource leveling, which fit better under schedule development or resource planning, not acquiring people. Option D references cost baseline and budget forecasts, which are part of project cost management. Option E combines quality plan and quality audits, which are linked to perform quality assurance rather than obtaining team members.

Common Pitfalls:
Exam candidates sometimes confuse Acquire Project Team with Develop Project Team, believing that negotiation is used to improve team performance instead of to obtain resources. Another pitfall is forgetting that staff assignments are an output here, not in scope or schedule processes. Remember that Acquire Project Team is about getting the right people on board, guided by the staffing management plan and achieved through tools such as negotiation.

Final Answer:
The correct ITTO combination for Acquire Project Team is staffing management plan; negotiation; project staff assignments.