PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
A project manager is leading a hybrid project where the team uses Scrum for development but has a fixed end date for regulatory compliance. Halfway through, a key vendor informs you that they will be unable to deliver a critical component on time. What should the project manager do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to escalation or immediate backlog adjustments without first analyzing the schedule impact, confusing the need for quick action with the correct first step of assessing the situation.
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
✓
Analyze the schedule to determine the impact on the critical path and identify possible mitigation options
In a hybrid project with a fixed regulatory deadline, the first step when a vendor fails to deliver a critical component is to analyze the schedule impact on the critical path and identify mitigation options. This aligns with the PMI approach of assessing the situation before escalating or making changes, ensuring the project manager maintains control and explores all feasible alternatives to meet the compliance date.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Adjust the sprint backlog to deprioritize features dependent on the component
Why it's wrong here
This action is premature as a first step because it assumes a specific solution without fully understanding the problem's scope or potential alternatives. While adjusting the backlog might become necessary, it should only occur *after* a thorough impact analysis has been performed and stakeholders have been consulted. Deprioritizing features without understanding the full critical path impact or exploring mitigation options could lead to suboptimal decisions and unnecessary delays or scope reductions.
- ✓
Analyze the schedule to determine the impact on the critical path and identify possible mitigation options
Why this is correct
This is the most appropriate first step for a project manager facing a significant delay. Analyzing the schedule, particularly the critical path, provides a data-driven understanding of the delay's true impact on the project's overall completion date. This systematic approach enables the project manager to identify specific tasks affected, quantify the delay, and then develop informed mitigation strategies, such as fast-tracking, crashing, or resource re-allocation, before communicating or escalating.
- ✗
Escalate the issue immediately to the project sponsor and request additional budget
Why it's wrong here
Escalating immediately to the project sponsor without first conducting an impact analysis demonstrates a lack of proactive problem-solving and accountability from the project manager. A PMP is expected to analyze the situation, understand its implications, and propose potential solutions or options before involving higher management. Requesting additional budget without a clear, data-backed justification for the cost increase and an explanation of how it addresses the critical path impact is unprofessional and unlikely to be approved.
- ✗
Initiate legal proceedings against the vendor for breach of contract
Why it's wrong here
Initiating legal proceedings is an extreme measure that should be considered only as a last resort, after all other contractual and negotiation avenues have been exhausted. As a first step, it is highly premature, costly, time-consuming, and can severely damage vendor relationships, potentially hindering future project success or collaboration. A project manager should first review the contract, engage in discussions with the vendor, and explore alternative solutions or remedies outlined in the agreement before contemplating legal action.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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