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PK0-005 Practice Question: During the execution phase of a software…
During the execution phase of a software development project, the team discovers a critical bug that was not identified during planning. The project manager needs to decide how to handle the bug without significantly impacting the project scope and timeline. Which action should the project manager take first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is the instinct to 'act fast' by escalating or adding resources, but PK0-005 consistently tests that analysis must precede action in issue management.
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
✓
Perform a root cause analysis and assess the impact on project constraints
When a critical bug surfaces during execution, the PM must first understand what caused it and how it affects scope, schedule, cost, and quality before choosing a response. A root cause analysis plus impact assessment gives the PM the data needed to decide whether to fix, defer, or change the plan. Jumping straight to escalation or resource changes without this analysis risks unnecessary disruption to the project baseline.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Perform a root cause analysis and assess the impact on project constraints
Why this is correct
Root cause analysis identifies why the bug escaped planning, while impact assessment quantifies its effect on scope, schedule and cost. This evidence lets the project manager choose an informed response — such as a change request — before committing resources, satisfying the stem's requirement to protect scope and timeline.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for immediate resolution
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to the sponsor bypasses the project manager's own analysis and the change control board, surrendering decision authority the role already holds. It is tempting because sponsor escalation is legitimate for issues exceeding the project manager's tolerance or authority, such as funding or enterprise-wide scope changes.
- ✗
Log the bug in the issue tracker and continue with the original plan
Why it's wrong here
Logging the bug and continuing leaves a critical defect unresolved, so the original plan proceeds on a false assumption about deliverable quality. It is tempting because issue logging is a genuine part of integrated change control, but it is the recording step that follows impact analysis, not the first action for a critical bug.
- ✗
Assign additional developers to fix the bug without delay
Why it's wrong here
Adding developers addresses the symptom without first assessing the bug's impact, priority or change-control implications, risking unplanned scope and cost changes. It is tempting because resource levelling or crashing is a legitimate schedule-compression technique once a formally approved change request has been raised and evaluated.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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.