easyMultiple Choice
PK0-005 A project is behind schedule Practice Question
A project is behind schedule. The project manager notes that the critical path has been extended. Which action should the project manager take first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The PK0-005 exam often tests the misconception that corrective actions like crashing or fast-tracking should be taken immediately upon detecting a delay, rather than first analyzing the impact to determine if the delay is critical and what the best response should be.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Analyze the impact on the project end date.
When the critical path is extended, the first action is to analyze the impact on the project end date to understand the severity of the delay before deciding on corrective actions. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's 'Control Schedule' process, where the project manager must assess variance and its effect on the project baseline. Without this analysis, any subsequent action like crashing or fast-tracking may be premature or misdirected.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Request additional resources.
Why it's wrong here
Requesting additional resources addresses only one possible cause and commits budget before the delay's source is diagnosed. It is tempting because adding people can accelerate work, which is valid once analysis shows the critical path is resource-constrained rather than, say, scope-driven.
- ✗
Fast-track the remaining tasks.
Why it's wrong here
Fast-tracking runs remaining tasks in parallel, which risks rework and is unsafe before the critical path's actual cause is analysed. It is tempting because overlapping activities does compress duration, and it is the correct technique once dependencies permit parallel execution without added cost.
- ✗
Crash the schedule.
Why it's wrong here
Crashing adds resources to critical-path activities to shorten duration, but it raises cost and risk and presumes the delay's cause is already understood. It is tempting because crashing directly compresses the schedule, which is the right response once analysis confirms the critical path can absorb added effort.
- ✓
Analyze the impact on the project end date.
Why this is correct
Before choosing any recovery action, the project manager must quantify how the critical path extension shifts the forecast completion date. That impact assessment determines whether schedule compression, scope change or stakeholder renegotiation is warranted, guiding every subsequent decision.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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