The answer is to submit a change request to the change control board. This is the correct first step because the requested feature falls outside the scope baseline, meaning any alteration to the agreed-upon project scope must follow the formal integrated change control process. By submitting a change request, the project manager ensures the scope change request process is initiated, allowing the CCB to evaluate the impact on cost, schedule, and quality before any work begins. On the CompTIA Project+ PK0-005 exam, this question tests your understanding of the defined change management workflow and the project manager’s role as a facilitator, not a decision-maker. A common trap is choosing to implement the feature immediately or negotiate directly with the stakeholder, but the exam emphasizes that the first action is always to follow the formal process. Remember the memory tip: “Scope change? Send it to the board.”
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 new feature that was not included in the scope baseline. What should the project manager do 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.
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
The correct first step when a new feature is requested outside the scope baseline is to submit a formal change request to the change control board (CCB). This initiates the integrated change control process, ensuring the request is evaluated for impact on cost, schedule, and quality before any action is taken. The project manager must follow the defined change management process rather than making unilateral decisions.
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.
✗
Deny the request because it is outside the original scope
Why it's wrong here
Denying without analysis may miss a valuable change; the request should be evaluated.
✓
Submit a change request to the change control board
Why this is correct
The formal change control process ensures proper evaluation and approval.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add the feature immediately to maintain stakeholder satisfaction
Why it's wrong here
Adding scope without formal approval leads to scope creep and potential project failure.
✗
Ask the sponsor to make the decision
Why it's wrong here
While the sponsor may have authority, the formal process requires a change request first.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think the project manager should immediately satisfy the stakeholder (C) or defer to the sponsor (D), but the PMI process mandates that all scope changes go through formal change control to maintain project governance and prevent uncontrolled scope creep.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, the scope baseline consists of the approved scope statement, work breakdown structure (WBS), and WBS dictionary. Any addition outside this baseline requires a change request that undergoes integrated change control, which includes evaluating trade-offs across the triple constraint (cost, time, scope). Real-world example: a software project adding a new authentication feature mid-execution would need a change request to assess development hours, testing impact, and potential regression risks before CCB approval.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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 a change request to the change control board — The correct first step when a new feature is requested outside the scope baseline is to submit a formal change request to the change control board (CCB). This initiates the integrated change control process, ensuring the request is evaluated for impact on cost, schedule, and quality before any action is taken. The project manager must follow the defined change management process rather than making unilateral decisions.
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.
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Question Discussion
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