Quick Answer
The answer is the resource management plan. This is the correct document to update first because it formally governs how project resources are acquired, allocated, managed, and released; when a key team member resigns, the plan must be revised to reflect the vacancy and trigger the process for securing a replacement before any other plans can be adjusted. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this question tests your understanding of the resource management plan’s role as the central source of truth for staffing changes, and a common trap is to mistakenly update the staffing management plan or the project schedule first. To remember, think of the resource management plan as the “who and how” blueprint—when a team member resignation occurs, you update the blueprint before you can reassign tasks or adjust timelines. A useful memory tip is “Resignation first, then reallocation,” meaning the plan itself must be updated before any other resource decisions are made.
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.
During project execution, a key team member resigns. The project manager needs to fill the role quickly. Which document should the project manager update 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.
Communication management plan
Why wrong: Communication plan is for info distribution, not staffing.
Project schedule
Why wrong: Schedule may need update but not first.
Resource management plan
Resource plan includes staffing strategies.
Risk register
Why wrong: Risk register might list turnover risk but not the immediate action.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Resource management plan
The resource management plan documents how project resources, including team members, are acquired, allocated, managed, and released. When a key team member resigns, the project manager must first update the resource management plan to reflect the vacancy and initiate the process for acquiring a replacement, ensuring resource needs are clearly defined before adjusting other plans.
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.
Communication management plan
Why it's wrong here
Communication plan is for info distribution, not staffing.
Project schedule
Why it's wrong here
Schedule may need update but not first.
Resource management plan
Why this is correct
Resource plan includes staffing strategies.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Risk register
Why it's wrong here
Risk register might list turnover risk but not the immediate action.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the misconception that the risk register should be updated first for any unexpected event, but the resignation is a realized issue requiring immediate resource management, not a risk to be logged before action.
Detailed technical explanation
The resource management plan is part of the project management plan and includes details such as roles and responsibilities, resource calendars, and staff acquisition strategies. In practice, updating this plan first ensures that the project manager formally documents the change in resource availability, which then informs downstream updates to the schedule (e.g., re-baselining tasks) and risk register (e.g., noting the impact of the vacancy). This sequential approach aligns with the PMBOK Guide's process of managing resource changes before adjusting other project documents.
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Project Management Concepts — study guide chapter
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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: Resource management plan — The resource management plan documents how project resources, including team members, are acquired, allocated, managed, and released. When a key team member resigns, the project manager must first update the resource management plan to reflect the vacancy and initiate the process for acquiring a replacement, ensuring resource needs are clearly defined before adjusting other plans.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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