This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A key vendor has notified you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time due to a raw material shortage. This component is on the project's critical path. What should you do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and identify possible alternatives, such as sourcing from another vendor
Option D is correct because the first step in any project management issue is to analyze the impact and explore alternatives before taking action. Since the component is on the critical path, any delay directly affects the project finish date, so you must evaluate schedule impact and identify options like sourcing from another vendor to mitigate the risk.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Initiate legal proceedings against the vendor for breach of contract
Why it's wrong here
Legal action is a last resort and may delay the project further.
✗
Crash the schedule by adding resources to other tasks to compensate for the delay
Why it's wrong here
Crashing should be considered after understanding the full impact and exploring all options.
✗
Immediately escalate the issue to the project sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Escalation is appropriate after the PM has assessed the situation and determined that sponsor involvement is needed.
✓
Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and identify possible alternatives, such as sourcing from another vendor
Why this is correct
Assessing impact and exploring alternatives is the proactive first step in managing vendor issues.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to escalation (Option C) or aggressive schedule compression (Option B) without first performing the required impact analysis, which is the foundational step in the PMI problem-solving framework.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Escalation is appropriate after the PM has assessed the situation and determined that sponsor involvement is needed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project schedule management, the critical path determines the shortest possible project duration; any delay on a critical path activity directly extends the project finish date. The first step in risk response is to perform a schedule impact analysis using techniques like critical path method (CPM) calculations to quantify the delay, then evaluate alternatives such as fast-tracking, crashing the specific delayed activity, or sourcing from alternative vendors. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's 'Plan Risk Responses' and 'Monitor and Control Project Work' processes, emphasizing analysis before action.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and identify possible alternatives, such as sourcing from another vendor — Option D is correct because the first step in any project management issue is to analyze the impact and explore alternatives before taking action. Since the component is on the critical path, any delay directly affects the project finish date, so you must evaluate schedule impact and identify options like sourcing from another vendor to mitigate the risk.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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