PRINCE2F Project Initiation and Stages Practice Question
A project is in the Initiation Stage. The senior user requests a major change to the scope. What should the project manager do?
⚠ Common exam trap
PeopleCert often tests the misconception that the Project Manager has the authority to accept or reject changes during the Initiation Stage, when in fact only the Project Board can approve changes that affect the Business Case or stage tolerances.
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
✓
Create an Issue Report and escalate to the Project Board
In PRINCE2, during the Initiation Stage, the Project Manager does not have authority to approve scope changes. Any issue that could impact the Business Case or project viability must be formally documented as an Issue Report and escalated to the Project Board for a decision. This ensures governance is maintained and the Business Case remains viable.
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 as it is too late
Why it's wrong here
PRINCE2 permits changes at any stage, including Initiation, provided they are evaluated through the change control approach and approved by the Project Board. Blanket rejection ignores that authority. It tempts because late changes are costly, yet the correct response is to assess the change, not refuse it outright.
- ✗
Accept the change and adjust the Business Case
Why it's wrong here
Accepting the change and amending the Business Case skips the change control process and the Project Board's authority to approve scope changes. The Business Case justifies the project; it does not authorise variations. It tempts because the Business Case must reflect scope, but only after the change is formally assessed and approved.
- ✗
Update the Project Plan and continue
Why it's wrong here
PRINCE2 requires major scope changes to pass through the change control process and be assessed for impact on the Business Case before baselining. Updating the Project Plan directly bypasses that governance. It tempts because the plan is genuinely a living document during Initiation, but that applies to refining the Project Initiation Documentation, not unapproved scope.
- ✓
Create an Issue Report and escalate to the Project Board
Why this is correct
During Initiation, scope is baselined in the Project Initiation Documentation, so a major scope change cannot be absorbed by the project manager. It must be captured as an Issue Report and escalated to the Project Board, which holds the authority to approve such change.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PRINCE2F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert 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 PRINCE2F exam.