CAPM Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies Practice Question
In a predictive project, the project manager has calculated the critical path and determined that the project duration is 100 days. The total float for a non-critical activity is 5 days. If the project manager wants to reduce the overall project duration by 3 days, which action is MOST appropriate?
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
✓
Fast-track the project by overlapping activities on the critical path
To reduce project duration, the focus must be on the critical path. Fast-tracking by overlapping activities on the critical path can reduce duration with less risk than crashing. Adding resources to a non-critical activity or increasing float will not affect the project duration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Fast-track the project by overlapping activities on the critical path
Why this is correct
Fast-tracking applies schedule compression to critical path activities, potentially reducing duration without increasing cost significantly.
- ✗
Increase the total float of the critical path by adding buffer
Why it's wrong here
Adding buffer would increase, not decrease, project duration.
- ✗
Add more resources to the non-critical activity to reduce its duration
Why it's wrong here
Reducing duration of a non-critical activity does not affect overall project duration because it has float.
- ✗
Crash the non-critical activity to reduce its duration by 3 days
Why it's wrong here
Crashing a non-critical activity is ineffective; only critical path compression reduces project duration.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 487 original CAPM practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on CAPM
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. A project manager is leading a construction project with a fixed budget and strict deadline. During execution, a key supplier notifies that a critical material will be delayed by two weeks, which will push the project past the deadline. The project manager reviews the schedule and identifies that the delay can be compensated by fast-tracking two subsequent activities that are currently planned sequentially. What should the project manager do first?
medium- A.Accept the delay and update the project schedule accordingly.
- ✓ B.Assess the risks of fast-tracking the two activities.
- C.Submit a change request to extend the deadline.
- D.Immediately add resources to the delayed activity to catch up.
Why B: The correct first step is to assess the risks of fast-tracking the two activities (Option B). Fast-tracking involves performing activities in parallel that were originally planned sequentially, which can introduce new risks such as rework, resource conflicts, or quality issues. The PMBOK Guide emphasizes that before implementing a schedule compression technique, the project manager must evaluate the associated risks and determine if the benefits outweigh the potential negative impacts. Since the project has a fixed budget and strict deadline, a risk assessment ensures informed decision-making before proceeding.
Variation 2. You are managing a predictive project to build a new office building. The project is in the execution phase. During a weekly progress meeting, the electrical contractor reports that a critical piece of switchgear has a 6-week lead time, but it was not ordered because the team assumed it would be procured later. The project schedule shows the switchgear installation activity is supposed to start in 4 weeks. The project manager reviews the procurement management plan and realizes the procurement process was not followed. The project has a tight deadline and cannot accommodate a 6-week delay. What is the best course of action for the project manager?
medium- A.Submit a change request to the CCB to extend the project schedule by 6 weeks.
- ✓ B.Expedite the procurement process by contacting the supplier to negotiate a faster delivery and simultaneously fast-track remaining activities to recover time.
- C.Crash the project schedule by adding resources to other activities to offset the delay.
- D.Implement a change request to reduce the scope of work, eliminating the need for the switchgear.
Why B: The project manager must first attempt to recover the schedule by expediting procurement and fast-tracking remaining activities before considering formal changes. This aligns with the iterative nature of the execution phase, where the focus is on corrective action within the existing constraints. The procurement management plan was not followed, so the PM must now apply a workaround to mitigate the delay without immediately escalating to a change request.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.