The answer is to submit the change request to the change control board for review. This is correct because the formal change control process dictates that any modification impacting the project baseline—such as scope, cost, or schedule—must be escalated to the Change Control Board (CCB) for governance. The project manager’s role is to assess the impact and then follow the established procedure, not to approve or reject changes unilaterally. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the change control process when a stakeholder requests a scope change; a common trap is choosing to implement the change immediately or negotiate with the stakeholder, but the first action is always to submit the request to the CCB. Remember the mnemonic “S.C.O.P.E.”—Submit, Check impact, Obtain approval, Proceed, Evaluate—to keep the sequence straight.
PK0-005 Project Management Concepts Practice Question
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 stakeholder requests a change that will affect the project scope. The project manager assesses the impact and finds it will increase costs by 15% and delay the schedule by two weeks. What is the FIRST action the project manager should take?
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
✓
Submit the change request to the change control board for review.
In project management, when a change request impacts scope, cost, or schedule, the project manager must follow the formal change control process. The first action is to submit the change request to the change control board (CCB) for review and approval, as the project manager does not have unilateral authority to approve or reject changes that affect the project baseline. This ensures proper governance and stakeholder alignment.
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.
✗
Reject the change because it will impact schedule and cost.
Why it's wrong here
Rejection without analysis may be premature; change control process should be followed.
✗
Approve the change since the impact is minimal.
Why it's wrong here
The project manager may need change control board approval for scope changes.
✓
Submit the change request to the change control board for review.
Why this is correct
Proper change control requires formal submission and review.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Implement the change immediately to satisfy the stakeholder.
Why it's wrong here
Implementing without following change control process is incorrect.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that the project manager can approve or reject changes based on personal judgment, when in fact the formal change control process mandates CCB involvement for any change affecting the project baseline.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The change control process is defined in the project management plan and typically requires a change request form, impact analysis, and CCB review. The CCB, which includes key stakeholders and sponsors, evaluates trade-offs and approves or denies changes based on business value and risk. In real-world scenarios, skipping this step can lead to budget overruns, schedule delays, and scope creep that undermine project success.
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: Submit the change request to the change control board for review. — In project management, when a change request impacts scope, cost, or schedule, the project manager must follow the formal change control process. The first action is to submit the change request to the change control board (CCB) for review and approval, as the project manager does not have unilateral authority to approve or reject changes that affect the project baseline. This ensures proper governance and stakeholder alignment.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 working on a construction project and is experiencing frequent change requests from the client. The project manager wants to ensure that all changes are properly evaluated and approved before implementation. Which project management process should the project manager implement?
easy
A.Monitor and Control Project Work
B.Close Project or Phase
C.Direct and Manage Project Work
✓ D.Perform Integrated Change Control
Why D: Perform Integrated Change Control (D) is the correct process because it is the formal process within project management that ensures all change requests are reviewed, evaluated for impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality, and approved or rejected before implementation. This process integrates the change across all knowledge areas and requires documented approval, which directly addresses the project manager's need to evaluate and approve changes before they are implemented.
Variation 2. During project execution, a key stakeholder requests a change that would require additional funding. The project manager should:
medium
A.Ask the sponsor for approval
✓ B.Submit the change request to the change control board
C.Refuse the change because it increases cost
D.Implement the change immediately
Why B: In project management, any change that impacts the budget must follow the formal change control process. The project manager should submit the change request to the change control board (CCB) for evaluation and approval, as the CCB has the authority to approve or reject changes that affect cost, scope, or schedule. This ensures that all impacts are assessed and that the project remains aligned with its baseline.
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Question Discussion
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