hardMultiple Select
PK0-005 Practice Question: A project manager is using schedule compression…
A project manager is using schedule compression techniques to meet a deadline. Which THREE statements about fast-tracking and crashing are correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
PK0-005 often tests the misconception that fast-tracking always saves money and that crashing reduces risk, when in fact fast-tracking increases risk and crashing increases cost.
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
✓
Both techniques are used to compress the schedule.
Option B is correct because both fast-tracking and crashing are recognized schedule compression techniques whose purpose is to shorten the project schedule to meet a deadline. Option D is correct because crashing adds resources (such as extra staff, overtime, or expedited delivery) to critical path activities, which typically increases direct costs. Option E is correct because fast-tracking performs activities in parallel that were originally planned sequentially, which raises the risk of rework, coordination problems, and dependency conflicts. Option A is wrong because fast-tracking does not always reduce cost and can actually increase cost through rework and added coordination. Option C is wrong because crashing generally increases risk rather than reducing it, since it relies on added resources and often less-proven execution approaches.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Fast-tracking always reduces cost.
Why it's wrong here
Fast-tracking overlaps activities, which can raise cost through rework, coordination and added resources, so it does not always reduce cost. It is tempting because compressing duration sometimes avoids overtime or penalty charges, making cost reduction the correct outcome when the stem asks about crashing.
- ✓
Both techniques are used to compress the schedule.
Why this is correct
Fast-tracking overlaps activities to shorten duration, while crashing adds resources to critical-path tasks; both aim to compress the schedule to meet a deadline. This shared purpose is the accurate commonality, distinguishing them from techniques that alter scope instead.
- ✗
Crashing reduces risk.
Why it's wrong here
Crashing adds resources and parallel work, which introduces coordination and quality risk rather than reducing it. It is tempting because crashing shortens the critical path, so risk reduction would be the correct claim if the stem instead asked about fast-tracking carefully selected non-critical activities.
- ✓
Crashing increases cost.
Why this is correct
Crashing shortens duration by adding resources to critical-path activities, which directly raises expenditure through overtime, extra staff or expedited procurement. The stem's deadline constraint is met by trading budget for time, so increased cost is the defining consequence.
- ✓
Fast-tracking increases risk.
Why this is correct
Fast-tracking runs activities in parallel that were originally sequenced, so dependencies overlap and any slip in one task directly impacts the other. This raises schedule risk because the compression is achieved by removing the buffer that sequential execution provided, without adding resources.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This PK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PK0-005 exam.