The answer is to avoid the risk by changing the project plan. This is the most appropriate response strategy because when a risk has both high probability and high impact, avoidance eliminates the threat entirely rather than trying to reduce or transfer it. By altering the project scope, schedule, or technology stack, the team removes the risk source or its consequences, which is critical when the potential cost overrun could jeopardize project objectives. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match risk severity with the correct strategy—avoidance is reserved for high-probability, high-impact risks, while mitigation or acceptance are for lower-severity threats. A common trap is choosing mitigation when avoidance is clearly warranted, so remember the memory tip: “Avoid the bomb, don’t just put out the fuse.”
PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
This PK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of project management concepts. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
During risk assessment, a project team identifies a risk that has a high probability of occurrence and high impact on project cost. Which risk response strategy is most appropriate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Avoid the risk by changing the project plan
When a risk has both high probability and high impact, the most effective response is to avoid it by changing the project plan to eliminate the threat entirely. Avoidance removes the risk source or its consequences, which is preferred over mitigation or acceptance when the risk is severe enough to jeopardize project objectives. In this scenario, altering the project scope, schedule, or technology stack can prevent the cost overrun from occurring.
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.
✗
Mitigate the risk by reducing probability or impact
Why it's wrong here
Mitigation reduces risk but does not eliminate it; if feasible, avoidance is more effective for critical risks.
✗
Accept the risk with a contingency reserve
Why it's wrong here
Acceptance is typically for low-priority risks; for high probability/impact, avoidance or mitigation is preferred.
✓
Avoid the risk by changing the project plan
Why this is correct
Avoidance eliminates the threat entirely, which is ideal for high-probability, high-impact risks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Transfer the risk to a third party
Why it's wrong here
Transfer is suitable for financial risks but may not be possible for all high-probability risks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that mitigation is always the best response for high-probability risks, but the trap here is that for high-impact risks, avoidance is more appropriate because it eliminates the threat rather than just reducing its effects.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project risk management, avoidance is the only strategy that completely removes the threat, often by changing the project management plan (e.g., adopting a different technology, reducing scope, or extending the schedule). For example, if a critical vendor has a high probability of price hikes, the project could switch to an in-house solution or an alternative vendor to avoid the cost risk entirely. This aligns with PMBOK principles where avoidance is prioritized for risks with high probability and high impact, as it eliminates the need for contingency reserves or mitigation efforts.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: Avoid the risk by changing the project plan — When a risk has both high probability and high impact, the most effective response is to avoid it by changing the project plan to eliminate the threat entirely. Avoidance removes the risk source or its consequences, which is preferred over mitigation or acceptance when the risk is severe enough to jeopardize project objectives. In this scenario, altering the project scope, schedule, or technology stack can prevent the cost overrun from occurring.
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.
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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