PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Processes Practice Question
During the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager receives a Checkpoint Report showing that a Work Package is behind schedule. What should the Project Manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is jumping to escalation (Exception Report) without first assessing whether the issue is within tolerances. Candidates often think any deviation requires immediate escalation, but PRINCE2 emphasizes management by exception, where the Project Manager handles issues within tolerance.
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
✓
Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if within tolerance
In PRINCE2, during the Controlling a Stage process, the Project Manager is responsible for monitoring work packages and taking corrective action if issues arise within the stage tolerances. When a Checkpoint Report indicates a Work Package is behind schedule, the first step is to assess the impact on the stage plan and determine if the deviation is within the stage tolerances. If it is, the Project Manager can take corrective action without escalating. Only if the issue exceeds stage tolerances should an Exception Report be raised.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Raise an Exception Report immediately
Why it's wrong here
A Checkpoint Report is an internal control point; the Project Manager should first assess the deviation and take corrective action within stage tolerances. Escalating straight to an Exception Report bypasses that assessment and is only warranted once a stage or project tolerance is forecast to be exceeded.
- ✓
Assess the impact on the stage plan and take corrective action if within tolerance
Why this is correct
The Project Manager must first evaluate the deviation against the stage plan's tolerances. If the slippage remains within delegated tolerance, corrective action is taken locally; only an anticipated breach of stage tolerance requires escalation to the Project Board.
- ✗
Inform the Project Board in the next Highlight Report
Why it's wrong here
Escalating in the next Highlight Report defers the issue to a routine reporting cycle, exceeding the Project Manager's tolerance for acting within the stage. It is tempting because boards receive progress updates, and would be correct only if the deviation breached stage tolerances requiring exception escalation.
- ✗
Request a new Work Package from the Team Manager
Why it's wrong here
Requesting a new Work Package discards the existing agreement before the cause of slippage is understood or corrective action agreed with the Team Manager. It is tempting as decisive action, and would be correct only once the current Work Package is formally closed or replaced through agreed change.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PeopleCert exam blueprint
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.