The correct first step is to conduct a feasibility study to assess resource availability and risks. This is because project selection with resource constraints requires a structured evaluation of whether the firm can realistically deliver the work within the fixed-price and six-month deadline, given that the senior developer is unavailable for four months. A feasibility study examines capacity, skill gaps, and scheduling conflicts before any commitment, ensuring the owner can make an informed decision about hiring, delaying, or declining. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this tests your understanding that feasibility studies precede all other project selection activities—a common trap is jumping to hiring or negotiating without first analyzing resource constraints. Remember the mnemonic “FAR” for Feasibility, Availability, Risk: always check feasibility before acting on resource-limited projects.
PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 small consulting firm is considering taking on a new project to develop a custom software application for a client. The firm has limited resources, and the owner, who is also the project manager, must decide whether to accept the project. The client has offered a fixed price of $50,000 with a six-month deadline. The firm estimates that the project will require 800 hours of work from a senior developer and a junior developer. The senior developer is currently assigned to another project that will last another four months, while the junior developer is available full-time. The owner has a decent cash reserve but is concerned about overextending the team. What should the owner do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Conduct a feasibility study to assess resource availability and risks.
Option C is correct because the first step in any project selection decision, especially with constrained resources, is to conduct a feasibility study. This study assesses whether the firm has the necessary resource availability (e.g., the senior developer is occupied for four months) and identifies risks (e.g., overextension) before committing to the fixed-price, six-month deadline. Without this analysis, the owner cannot make an informed decision about hiring, negotiating, or accepting the project.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Hire a contract senior developer to fill the gap.
Why it's wrong here
Hiring is a solution, but it's premature without a feasibility analysis.
✗
Negotiate with the client for a longer timeline or higher budget.
Why it's wrong here
Negotiation should come after understanding feasibility.
✓
Conduct a feasibility study to assess resource availability and risks.
Why this is correct
A feasibility study provides data to make an informed go/no-go decision.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Accept the project and reassign the senior developer after four months.
Why it's wrong here
This assumes the project can be delayed, which may not be acceptable to the client.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to a solution (like hiring or negotiating) without recognizing that the PMBOK and PK0-005 emphasize performing a feasibility study or resource assessment as the first step in the initiating process, not after deciding to proceed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A feasibility study in project management typically covers technical, operational, and schedule feasibility, not just resource counts. For a fixed-price contract, the firm must also consider the risk of cost overruns if the senior developer is unavailable; the junior developer alone may lack the experience to meet the 800-hour estimate efficiently, potentially requiring overtime or rework. Real-world scenarios often show that skipping this study leads to accepting projects with hidden constraints, such as dependency on a key resource that is already allocated, which can cascade into schedule delays and financial penalties.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Project Management Concepts — This question tests Project Management Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Conduct a feasibility study to assess resource availability and risks. — Option C is correct because the first step in any project selection decision, especially with constrained resources, is to conduct a feasibility study. This study assesses whether the firm has the necessary resource availability (e.g., the senior developer is occupied for four months) and identifies risks (e.g., overextension) before committing to the fixed-price, six-month deadline. Without this analysis, the owner cannot make an informed decision about hiring, negotiating, or accepting the project.
What should I do if I get this PK0-005 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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