This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 new government regulation has been announced that will affect your project's deliverables. The regulation will take effect in three months, and your project is scheduled to complete in six months. What should the project manager 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
✓
Assess the impact of the regulation and submit a change request to address necessary adjustments
Option D is correct because the PMBOK Guide requires the project manager to first assess the impact of any external change, such as a new regulation, on the project's scope, schedule, cost, and quality before taking action. Only after this analysis should a change request be submitted through the formal integrated change control process to adjust the project plan. Ignoring the regulation or acting without analysis violates the principle of proactive risk management and the change control system.
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.
✗
Inform the team and continue with the current plan, assuming the regulation may not affect the project
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring potential impact could lead to non-compliance.
✗
Fast-track the project to complete before the regulation takes effect
Why it's wrong here
Fast-tracking without a plan may introduce risks and might not be feasible.
✗
Ask the legal department to interpret the regulation and wait for their response before acting
Why it's wrong here
While involving legal may be part of the assessment, the PM should proactively initiate the analysis.
✓
Assess the impact of the regulation and submit a change request to address necessary adjustments
Why this is correct
Assessing impact and following change control is the correct approach.
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 a solution (like fast-tracking or waiting for legal) without first performing the required impact analysis, which is the foundational step in the change control process.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, this question tests the 'Perform Integrated Change Control' process and the 'Monitor and Control Project Work' process. The project manager must first analyze the regulation's effect on the project's baselines (scope, schedule, cost) and identify any required adjustments to the project management plan. A real-world scenario: a software project subject to GDPR must first assess which data handling features are affected before submitting a change request to modify the product backlog and release plan; skipping the assessment could result in a change request that is incomplete or misaligned with regulatory requirements.
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 practitioner preparing for the PMP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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: Assess the impact of the regulation and submit a change request to address necessary adjustments — Option D is correct because the PMBOK Guide requires the project manager to first assess the impact of any external change, such as a new regulation, on the project's scope, schedule, cost, and quality before taking action. Only after this analysis should a change request be submitted through the formal integrated change control process to adjust the project plan. Ignoring the regulation or acting without analysis violates the principle of proactive risk management and the change control system.
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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