hardMultiple Choice
Change Control Process: First Step
A project has been delayed due to unexpected regulatory changes. The project manager has analyzed the impact and determines that the project will miss the original deadline by two months. The sponsor is concerned about the delay. What is the first step the PM should take?
Quick Answer
The answer is to submit a change request to the change control board with the revised schedule and impact analysis. This is correct because the change control process first step, as defined in the PMBOK Guide and tested on the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, is always to formally document and submit the proposed change for review, even when the delay is caused by an external factor like regulatory shifts. The project manager must not adjust the baseline independently; instead, they present the impact analysis to the Change Control Board (CCB) to maintain governance and traceability. On the exam, this question tests your understanding that the change control process first step is submission, not approval or communication—a common trap is choosing “inform the sponsor” first, but formal documentation must precede any notification. Remember the mnemonic “SCR” for the sequence: Submit, then CCB reviews, then Revise the baseline.
⚠ Common exam trap
The PK0-005 exam often tests the misconception that the project manager can unilaterally adjust the schedule or fast-track tasks without formal change approval, but the correct first step is always to submit a change request to the CCB.
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
✓
Submit a change request to the change control board with the revised schedule and impact analysis.
When a project is delayed due to an external factor like regulatory changes, the project manager must follow the formal change control process. Submitting a change request with the revised schedule and impact analysis ensures that the sponsor and change control board (CCB) can formally approve the new baseline, maintaining governance and traceability. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on managing changes to the project management plan.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Inform the team and proceed with the new schedule.
Why it's wrong here
Informing the team and proceeding skips sponsor approval of the revised baseline, which the stem implies is still needed given the sponsor's concern. It is tempting because teams must eventually know the new schedule. The PM should first present the impact analysis and revised timeline to the sponsor for endorsement.
- ✗
Resign from the project due to the delay.
Why it's wrong here
Resigning abandons the project instead of managing the regulatory-driven schedule variance the PM has already analysed. It is tempting when a sponsor's concern feels overwhelming, yet resignation is never a project management action. The PM should instead communicate the revised baseline and impact to the sponsor before any schedule change.
- ✓
Submit a change request to the change control board with the revised schedule and impact analysis.
Why this is correct
Regulatory delay requires a formal schedule baseline change; submitting a change request with impact analysis to the change control board is the documented first step. This satisfies the stem by routing the revised schedule through proper approval before communicating or rebaselining.
- ✗
Fast-track the remaining tasks to recover time.
Why it's wrong here
Fast-tracking compresses remaining tasks by overlapping them, but the two-month slip stems from regulatory changes, not task sequencing, and it risks rework. It is tempting as a schedule compression technique for recoverable delays. The PM should first communicate the revised baseline to the sponsor before compressing anything.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PK0-005
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A project team is experiencing scope creep because stakeholders keep adding minor features without formal approval. What is the best way to prevent this in the future?
medium- ✓ A.Implement a change control process
- B.Increase project budget
- C.Ignore the requests until the next phase
- D.Update the project charter
Why A: A change control process is the formal mechanism to evaluate, approve, or reject changes to project scope. By requiring all feature requests to go through this process, the project manager ensures that scope creep is prevented because no minor feature can be added without documented approval and impact analysis. This directly addresses the root cause—stakeholders bypassing formal approval.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.