CAPM Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to a formal change request (Option A) or scope reduction (Option D) without first attempting schedule compression techniques, which are the PM's primary tools for handling delays in the execution phase.
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
✓
Expedite the procurement process by contacting the supplier to negotiate a faster delivery and simultaneously fast-track remaining activities to recover time.
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Submit a change request to the CCB to extend the project schedule by 6 weeks.
Why it's wrong here
This should be a last resort after attempting mitigation.
- ✓
Expedite the procurement process by contacting the supplier to negotiate a faster delivery and simultaneously fast-track remaining activities to recover time.
Why this is correct
This directly addresses the root cause and aims to recover the schedule.
- ✗
Crash the project schedule by adding resources to other activities to offset the delay.
Why it's wrong here
Crashing other activities does not solve the missing switchgear issue.
- ✗
Implement a change request to reduce the scope of work, eliminating the need for the switchgear.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing scope may not be feasible and requires formal change control.
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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.