PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A key vendor informs you that they cannot deliver a critical component on time, which will delay the project. You need to decide on next steps. Which THREE actions are most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates mistakenly treat 'asking the team to work overtime' as a valid corrective action without recognizing it requires a formal change request and impact analysis, or they assume terminating the vendor contract is the first step instead of evaluating the schedule impact first.
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
✓
Update the project management plan with the new delivery date
Updating the project management plan with the new delivery date is correct because it formally documents the revised schedule baseline, which is a key output of the integrated change control process. This ensures all project artifacts reflect the current reality, enabling accurate tracking and communication. Without this update, the plan becomes obsolete and misaligns with actual project execution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Update the project management plan with the new delivery date
Why this is correct
After evaluating the impact of the vendor delay on the project schedule and critical path, and communicating with stakeholders, updating the project management plan is a critical step. This formalizes the approved change, incorporating the new delivery date and any resulting adjustments to subsequent activities or resource allocations. It ensures all project documentation reflects the current, agreed-upon baseline, maintaining project control and providing a revised roadmap for the team. This action is part of the Integrated Change Control process.
- ✗
Ask the team to work overtime to compensate for the delay
Why it's wrong here
Asking the team to work overtime is generally an ineffective and potentially detrimental first response to a vendor delay, especially when a critical component is unavailable. Overtime cannot magically produce a missing component and can lead to burnout, decreased morale, and increased costs without addressing the root cause of the schedule variance. This action fails to consider the actual constraint and may exacerbate project risks rather than mitigate them.
- ✓
Notify the project sponsor and other key stakeholders of the delay and potential impacts
Why this is correct
Promptly notifying the project sponsor and other key stakeholders about a significant vendor delay is a fundamental responsibility of a project manager. This ensures transparency, manages expectations, and allows stakeholders to understand the potential impacts on project objectives, budget, and scope. Early communication facilitates collaborative decision-making and allows for timely adjustments to business strategies or related projects, preventing surprises and maintaining trust.
- ✗
Immediately terminate the vendor contract
Why it's wrong here
Immediately terminating a vendor contract without prior investigation, negotiation, or exploring alternative solutions is an extreme and premature action. Such a decision could incur significant legal and financial penalties, further delay the project while a new vendor is sourced, and potentially damage future business relationships. Contract termination should only be considered after exhausting other mitigation strategies and a thorough legal and financial review, typically as a last resort.
- ✓
Evaluate the impact on the project schedule and critical path
Why this is correct
Before taking any corrective action, it is imperative to evaluate the precise impact of the vendor delay on the project schedule, particularly the critical path. This analysis determines whether the delay affects the project's overall completion date, identifies dependent activities, and quantifies the extent of the variance. Understanding the true impact is foundational for developing effective mitigation strategies, informing stakeholders accurately, and making data-driven decisions regarding schedule adjustments or resource reallocations.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Change Control Process
A formal, structured procedure used to manage any changes to a project's scope, schedule, budget, or requirements, ensuring every modification is reviewed, approved, tested, and documented before implementation.
Key term
Team Building
Team building is the process of creating a cohesive group of people who work together effectively toward a shared goal.
About these practice questions
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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.