PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Practices Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse 'Exception' with a type of issue because both involve deviations from the plan, but PRINCE2 strictly defines Exception as a report triggered by a forecast tolerance breach, not as a category of issue.
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
In PRINCE2, the three recognised types of issue are: A. Off-specification — a product or deliverable that will not meet its agreed specification, which must be raised as an issue so the Project Manager can decide how to correct it; B. Problem/Concern — any other issue that is not a Request for Change or an Off-specification, such as a general concern or problem raised by a stakeholder; and C. Request for Change — a proposal to change a baseline (scope, time, cost, quality, etc.) that must be assessed and approved through change control. D. Risk is incorrect because risk is a separate PRINCE2 theme (managing uncertainty of future events), not a type of issue. E. Exception is incorrect because an exception is a situation where tolerances are forecast to be exceeded, handled through the Exception Plan and Exception Report, not classified as an issue type.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Off-specification
Why this is correct
An off-specification is a PRINCE2 issue type raised when the project will deliver something outside what the project product description or user requirements specify. It satisfies the stem because PRINCE2 formally classifies off-specifications alongside changes and problems as issues requiring management action.
- ✓
Problem/Concern
Why this is correct
Problem or concern is a PRINCE2 issue type capturing any other matter requiring project manager attention that is neither a change nor an off-specification. It satisfies the stem because PRINCE2 explicitly lists it as one of the recognised issue categories in the issue register.
- ✓
Request for Change
Why this is correct
A request for change is a PRINCE2 issue type proposing an alteration to a baselined product, such as scope, cost or schedule. It satisfies the stem because PRINCE2 formally recognises change requests as one of the defined issue categories, distinct from off-specifications and problems.
- ✗
Risk
Why it's wrong here
Risk is managed through PRINCE2's risk theme and risk register, not raised as an issue type. It is tempting because risks and issues are both logged, owned and escalated, and an unresolved risk can later be raised as an issue — but they remain distinct registers.
- ✗
Exception
Why it's wrong here
An exception is a deviation exceeding the tolerances delegated to a management level, handled through exception reports and the directing a project process, not an issue type. It is tempting because exceptions often originate from issues escalated beyond tolerance, but PRINCE2 classifies them separately.
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Same concept, more angles
8 more ways 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. Which THREE of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- ✓ A.Request for Change
- ✓ B.Problem/Concern
- C.Risk
- ✓ D.Off-specification
- E.Change
Why A: In PRINCE2, an issue is a formal notification of a deviation from the plan or a request for change, and the standard issue types are Request for Change (A), Problem/Concern (B), and Off-specification (D). A Request for Change (A) is correct because it captures a proposed change to the baseline (e.g., scope, time, cost, or quality) that must be assessed and approved through change control. A Problem/Concern (B) is correct because it records any other issue that is not a change request or an off-specification, such as a general concern, query, or problem affecting the project. An Off-specification (D) is correct because it describes something the project should deliver or that is required but is currently not forecast to be delivered, representing a gap against the agreed specification. Risk (C) is not an issue type in PRINCE2; risks are managed separately in the risk register and are potential future events, not current issues. Change (E) is not a distinct PRINCE2 issue type; the formal issue type is Request for Change, so 'Change' alone is too generic and incorrect.
Variation 2. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- A.Exception Plan
- ✓ B.Off-specification
- C.Risk
- D.Lessons Report
- ✓ E.Request for Change
Why B: In PRINCE2, an issue is a relevant event that has occurred and requires management attention. The two types of issue are 'Off-specification' (something that should be provided but is not) and 'Request for Change' (a proposal for a change to a baseline). Options B and E are correct because they directly match these defined types.
Variation 3. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
easy- A.Problem
- B.Threat
- ✓ C.Request for Change
- D.Quality review
- ✓ E.Off-specification
Why C: In PRINCE2, an issue is a relevant event that has occurred and requires management attention. The three defined types of issue are Problem/Concern, Request for Change (RFC), and Off-specification. Option C is correct because a Request for Change is a formal proposal for a modification to a product's specification, cost, or schedule, and is one of the three core issue types.
Variation 4. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- ✓ A.Off-specification
- B.Opportunity
- C.Risk
- D.Change budget
- ✓ E.Request for Change
Why A: In PRINCE2, an issue is any relevant event that has happened, is happening, or might happen and requires management attention; issues are classified into three types: Request for Change, Off-specification, and Problem/Concern. Option A, Off-specification, is correct because it describes a situation where a product will not meet its agreed requirements or specification, which is one of the defined PRINCE2 issue types. Option E, Request for Change, is correct because it is the formal proposal to modify a baseline (such as a product, plan, or business case), and it is explicitly one of the PRINCE2 issue types. Option B, Opportunity, is not a PRINCE2 issue type; opportunities and threats are handled through the risk management approach, not the issue register. Option C, Risk, is not an issue type because PRINCE2 treats risks separately in the risk register and risk management theme. Option D, Change budget, is not an issue type; it is a financial provision (often part of the project budget) used to fund changes, not a category of issue.
Variation 5. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- A.Constraint
- B.Assumption
- C.Risk
- ✓ D.Off-specification
- ✓ E.Request for Change
Why D: PRINCE2 defines three types of issues: Request for Change, Off-specification, and Problem/Concern. In this question, the correct answers are Off-specification (D) and Request for Change (E). Constraint, Assumption, and Risk are not classified as issue types in PRINCE2; they are considered in other contexts such as the business case or risk register.
Variation 6. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- A.Threat
- ✓ B.Request for Change
- ✓ C.Off-specification
- D.Risk
- E.Opportunity
Why B: In PRINCE2, an 'issue' is any relevant event that has happened or may happen and requires management attention; issues are formally classified into three types: Request for Change, Off-specification, and Problem/Concern. Option B (Request for Change) is correct because it is the formal issue type raised when someone wants to change a baseline (e.g., a product's agreed scope, cost, time, or quality), and it must be captured in the Issue Register and assessed via change control. Option C (Off-specification) is correct because it is the formal issue type raised when a product is forecast to fail, or has failed, to meet an agreed specification or acceptance criteria, requiring a decision on corrective action. Options A (Threat) and E (Opportunity) are not PRINCE2 issue types; they are risk-related concepts handled in the Risk theme/register (threats are negative risks, opportunities are positive risks). Option D (Risk) is also not an issue type; risk is a separate PRINCE2 theme with its own register and management approach, distinct from the issue types of Request for Change, Off-specification, and Problem/Concern.
Variation 7. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- A.Assumption
- ✓ B.Off-specification
- C.Risk
- ✓ D.Request for Change
- E.Constraint
Why B: The three types of issue are Request for Change, Off-specification, and Problem/Concern.
Variation 8. Which TWO of the following are types of issue in PRINCE2?
medium- A.Risk
- ✓ B.Off-specification
- ✓ C.Request for Change
- D.Constraint
- E.Assumption
Why B: In PRINCE2, an issue is any relevant event that has happened, is happening, or could happen that requires management attention, and the method defines three specific issue types: Request for Change (RFC), Off-specification, and Problem/Concern. Option B (Off-specification) is correct because it is a formal PRINCE2 issue type describing a situation where a product will not meet or cannot meet its agreed requirements (for example, a Work Package that will exceed its tolerances). Option C (Request for Change) is correct because it is the PRINCE2 issue type used to propose a change to a baselined product, such as altering a Project Product Description or a Stage Plan. Options A (Risk), D (Constraint), and E (Assumption) are not PRINCE2 issue types: Risk is a separate PRINCE2 theme and management product (Risk Register), while Constraint and Assumption are general project context factors, not classified issue types in the method.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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