PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Practices Practice Question
During a stage, the Team Manager identifies a problem that affects the quality of a product. The product description specifies a quality criterion that cannot be met. What type of issue is this?
⚠ Common exam trap
PRINCE2 often tests the distinction between an off-specification and a request for change; the trap here is that candidates confuse a failure to meet a specification (off-specification) with a proposal to alter the specification (request for change).
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
✓
Off-specification
This is an Off-specification because the product cannot meet a defined quality criterion specified in the product description. In PRINCE2, an off-specification is a type of issue that occurs when a product's actual or forecast quality does not match its agreed specification. The Team Manager has identified a deviation from the baseline, which is the defining characteristic of an off-specification.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Problem/concern
Why it's wrong here
A quality criterion that cannot be met is a formal exception, because it breaches a tolerance agreed in the stage plan and must be escalated to the Project Board. Problem/concern covers general issues logged and managed by the Project Manager within tolerance, which is the right route when no agreed limit is threatened.
- ✗
Risk
Why it's wrong here
A risk is an uncertain future event, whereas this quality criterion failure is already occurring. Risks are recorded when they may affect objectives; here the issue exists now and must be handled as a current problem.
- ✗
Request for change
Why it's wrong here
A request for change alters a baselined product or its specification; here the product description's quality criterion simply cannot be met, which is a quality concern raised as an issue, not a change to approved scope. It tempts because changing the criterion would resolve it, and requests for change are correct when a stakeholder genuinely wants a baselined requirement modified.
- ✓
Off-specification
Why this is correct
An off-specification arises when a product cannot meet a quality criterion defined in its product description, and it must be escalated to the Project Board for a decision. This matches the Team Manager identifying that the specified criterion cannot be met.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This PRINCE2F question is part of Courseiva's 1,189-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PRINCE2F
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. The Project Manager is reviewing an issue that affects a product currently in development. The product does not meet a requirement defined in its Product Description. What type of issue is this?
hard- A.Request for Change
- B.Risk
- C.Problem/Concern
- ✓ D.Off-specification
Why D: An Off-specification is something that should be provided but is not (or is provided but does not meet the specification).
JA
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.