Quick Answer
The answer is to crash the schedule by adding overtime. This technique minimizes schedule impact because it directly increases the work hours available for critical path tasks without requiring additional personnel, which is essential when no backup resources exist and the deadline is tight. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of schedule compression techniques, specifically the distinction between crashing (adding resources or overtime to critical path tasks) and fast-tracking (performing tasks in parallel). A common trap is choosing fast-tracking, but that increases risk and does not address the loss of a team member’s capacity. Remember that crashing with overtime leverages the existing team’s extra effort to recover lost time, making it the only viable option here. Memory tip: “Crash with cash or clock” — crashing either adds more people (cash) or more hours (clock/overtime).
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 critical team member resigns. The project manager must reassign tasks. The project has a tight deadline and no backup resources. Which technique best minimizes schedule impact?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Crash the schedule by adding overtime.
Overtime can accelerate critical path.
Fast track remaining tasks.
Why wrong: Increases risk and may cause rework.
Implement resource smoothing.
Why wrong: Smoothing doesn't shorten critical path.
Resource level to balance workload.
Why wrong: Leveling often extends schedule.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Crash the schedule by adding overtime.
Crashing the schedule by adding overtime directly increases the work hours available to complete critical path tasks without requiring additional resources. Since the project has no backup resources and a tight deadline, overtime is the only option that can compress the schedule by applying more effort to the existing team, thereby minimizing the schedule impact from the resignation.
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.
Crash the schedule by adding overtime.
Why this is correct
Overtime can accelerate critical path.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Fast track remaining tasks.
Why it's wrong here
Increases risk and may cause rework.
Implement resource smoothing.
Why it's wrong here
Smoothing doesn't shorten critical path.
Resource level to balance workload.
Why it's wrong here
Leveling often extends schedule.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between schedule compression techniques (crashing vs. fast-tracking) and resource optimization techniques (smoothing vs. leveling), and the trap here is that candidates confuse resource smoothing or leveling with schedule compression, not realizing they adjust resource usage without necessarily reducing project duration.
Detailed technical explanation
Crashing is a schedule compression technique that focuses on the critical path by adding resources or overtime to critical activities, with the trade-off of increased cost. In this scenario, overtime effectively increases the team's available hours per day (e.g., from 8 to 10 or 12 hours), allowing the remaining members to absorb the departed member's tasks without hiring or cross-training new resources. Real-world project management software like Microsoft Project calculates crash cost per unit time to determine the most cost-effective way to reduce duration, but here the constraint is no backup resources, making overtime the only viable crash method.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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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: Crash the schedule by adding overtime. — Crashing the schedule by adding overtime directly increases the work hours available to complete critical path tasks without requiring additional resources. Since the project has no backup resources and a tight deadline, overtime is the only option that can compress the schedule by applying more effort to the existing team, thereby minimizing the schedule impact from the resignation.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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