This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A project manager needs to determine the project's success criteria before the project is initiated. Which document should contain these criteria?
Project schedule
Why wrong: The schedule is created during planning, not for success criteria.
Risk register
Why wrong: The risk register is for risks, not success criteria.
Lessons learned
Why wrong: Lessons learned are documented after the project.
Project charter
The project charter defines the high-level scope and success criteria.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Project charter
The project charter is the document that formally authorizes the project and defines high-level success criteria, including measurable project objectives and key stakeholder expectations. According to the PMBOK Guide, the project charter is created during the Initiating process group and must contain the business case, high-level risks, and the criteria that will be used to determine whether the project is successful. Without these criteria defined in the charter, there is no agreed-upon baseline for evaluating project performance or closure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Project schedule
Why it's wrong here
The schedule is created during planning, not for success criteria.
Risk register
Why it's wrong here
The risk register is for risks, not success criteria.
Lessons learned
Why it's wrong here
Lessons learned are documented after the project.
Project charter
Why this is correct
The project charter defines the high-level scope and success criteria.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the misconception that success criteria belong in the project schedule or risk register because candidates confuse operational planning documents with the high-level authorization document that sets the project's strategic direction.
Detailed technical explanation
In the PMI framework, the project charter is the output of the Develop Project Charter process (Initiating process group) and typically includes measurable success criteria such as cost, schedule, scope, and quality thresholds. For example, a charter might state that the project is successful if it delivers within 10% of the approved budget, meets all regulatory compliance requirements, and achieves a customer satisfaction score of at least 4.5 out of 5. These criteria become the foundation for the project's key performance indicators (KPIs) and are referenced during phase-gate reviews and final project closure.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the PK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Project Management Concepts — This question tests Project Management Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Project charter — The project charter is the document that formally authorizes the project and defines high-level success criteria, including measurable project objectives and key stakeholder expectations. According to the PMBOK Guide, the project charter is created during the Initiating process group and must contain the business case, high-level risks, and the criteria that will be used to determine whether the project is successful. Without these criteria defined in the charter, there is no agreed-upon baseline for evaluating project performance or closure.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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.
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