PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
A critical vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a key component on time due to a raw material shortage. The component is on the critical path. You have identified this risk in the risk register with a medium probability and high impact. The planned response was to accept the risk. What should you do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume a risk on the critical path with high impact automatically requires immediate crashing or escalation, but the PMP exam emphasizes that the first step is always to reassess the risk against the planned response before taking corrective action.
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
✓
Evaluate the current situation and determine if the accept response is still appropriate or if a different response is needed; submit a change request if necessary
The first step when a risk materializes is to reassess the situation against the existing risk response. Since the planned response was 'accept,' you must evaluate whether acceptance is still viable given the new reality. If not, you need to select a different response (e.g., mitigate or avoid) and submit a change request to formally adjust the project plan. This aligns with the PMBOK® Guide's iterative risk management process, where risk responses are revisited when triggers occur.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for decision
Why it's wrong here
As a project manager, the initial response to a critical vendor issue is to assess the situation and explore solutions within the project team's authority and the project management plan. Escalating directly to the project sponsor without first evaluating internal options or potential risk responses is premature and bypasses the PM's responsibility for proactive issue management. The sponsor should be engaged when the issue exceeds the PM's authority or requires strategic direction, not as a first resort.
- ✓
Evaluate the current situation and determine if the accept response is still appropriate or if a different response is needed; submit a change request if necessary
Why this is correct
When a risk event occurs, the project manager must first re-evaluate the effectiveness of the existing risk response plan, which in this case might have been "accept." This involves analyzing the impact of the vendor's inability to deliver and determining if a new proactive or reactive strategy, such as mitigation or contingency, is now required. If a new response significantly alters baselines or the project management plan, a formal change request must be submitted through the integrated change control process.
- ✗
Immediately crash the schedule by adding resources to the critical path
Why it's wrong here
Immediately crashing the schedule is a specific schedule compression technique that involves adding resources to critical path activities to shorten duration, typically at an increased cost. This action is premature and potentially ineffective because it might not resolve the core issue of the critical vendor's inability to deliver the component. Furthermore, crashing requires careful analysis of cost-benefit and often necessitates budget approval, which is not an immediate, unilateral decision for the project manager.
- ✗
Inform stakeholders that the project will be delayed by the duration of the component shortage
Why it's wrong here
Informing stakeholders of an immediate delay without first exploring alternative solutions or mitigation strategies is a reactive and irresponsible approach for a project manager. The PM's role is to proactively manage issues, assess impacts, and identify potential workarounds or new risk responses to minimize negative consequences. Only after a thorough analysis and exploration of options should the project manager communicate the definitive impact, including any unavoidable delays, to relevant stakeholders.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP 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 PMP exam.