CAPM Practice Question: Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts
During project execution, a key stakeholder requests a new feature that was not included in the approved scope. What should the project manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
CAPM often tests the sequence of change control, causing candidates to select escalation or rejection before performing the necessary impact analysis.
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
✓
Perform a change impact analysis
When a stakeholder requests a change to approved scope, the project manager should first perform a change impact analysis to assess the effect on scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk. This analysis informs the change control process and provides the Change Control Board (CCB) or sponsor with the necessary information to make a decision. It is the first step before escalation or approval.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Perform a change impact analysis
Why this is correct
Change impact analysis evaluates how the requested feature affects scope, schedule, cost, and risk before any decision. It is the prerequisite step that gives the project manager and change control board the information needed to approve, defer, or reject the request, rather than immediately altering the approved baseline.
- ✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for decision
Why it's wrong here
Escalating immediately skips the project manager's own analysis of the request's impact on scope, schedule and cost. It is tempting because sponsors own the baseline, but escalation is warranted only after the change request is documented and evaluated, or when the decision exceeds the project manager's authority.
- ✗
Inform the stakeholder that the scope is frozen
Why it's wrong here
Refusing outright ignores the Perform Integrated Change Control process, which requires evaluating the request's impact before any decision. It is tempting as a way to protect the baseline, but a scope statement is not frozen; the correct first step is documenting the request and assessing schedule, cost and risk effects.
- ✗
Add the feature to the next iteration
Why it's wrong here
Committing the feature to an iteration bypasses change control and assumes an agile context the stem does not establish; approved scope must be assessed first. It is tempting because iterative delivery absorbs change easily, but the correct first action is logging the request and analysing its impact through the change control process.
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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 PMI exam blueprint
This CAPM practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI 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 CAPM exam.