The correct response is to explain the regulatory and safety implications to the sponsor and recommend against skipping the inspection. This is because a project manager holds a fiduciary and ethical duty under the PMI Code of Ethics to prioritize safety and legal compliance over schedule pressure; skipping a mandatory quality inspection violates regulations and exposes the organization to legal liability, project shutdown, or harm. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your grasp of the “Responsibility” and “Respect” pillars from the Code, often appearing as a trap where the sponsor asks to skip a quality inspection safety violation to save time—a common distractor is choosing to “negotiate a compromise” or “document the request,” which fails to uphold your duty. Remember the memory tip: “Safety first, schedule last—when compliance is mandatory, the answer is never to bypass.”
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
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 project manager is leading a large construction project. The sponsor requests that the team skip a mandatory quality inspection to save two weeks on the schedule. The project manager knows that skipping the inspection could compromise safety and violate regulations. What should the project manager do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Explain the regulatory and safety implications to the sponsor and recommend against skipping the inspection
Option D is correct because the project manager has a fiduciary and ethical duty to prioritize safety and regulatory compliance over schedule pressure. Skipping a mandatory quality inspection violates regulations and could lead to legal liability, project shutdown, or harm. The PM must clearly communicate these risks to the sponsor and recommend against the action, as per the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
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.
✗
Document the sponsor's request and proceed with the inspection as planned without further discussion
Why it's wrong here
The PM should not ignore the sponsor; proactive communication is needed.
✗
Comply with the sponsor's request to maintain a good relationship
Why it's wrong here
Skipping mandatory inspections is unethical and may violate laws.
✗
Propose reducing the inspection scope rather than skipping it entirely
Why it's wrong here
Reducing scope may still violate regulations.
✓
Explain the regulatory and safety implications to the sponsor and recommend against skipping the inspection
Why this is correct
The PM must communicate risks and uphold compliance.
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 may choose Option C (reducing scope) as a compromise, but the PMP exam tests the principle that mandatory requirements cannot be partially skipped—only fully compliant alternatives are acceptable.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In construction projects, mandatory quality inspections are often tied to building codes, safety regulations (e.g., OSHA), and insurance requirements. Skipping or reducing them can void warranties, trigger fines, and expose the organization to litigation. The project manager should use a risk register to document the impact, then engage the sponsor with a formal change request that includes a cost-benefit analysis of schedule compression techniques (e.g., crashing or fast-tracking) that do not compromise mandatory inspections.
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: Explain the regulatory and safety implications to the sponsor and recommend against skipping the inspection — Option D is correct because the project manager has a fiduciary and ethical duty to prioritize safety and regulatory compliance over schedule pressure. Skipping a mandatory quality inspection violates regulations and could lead to legal liability, project shutdown, or harm. The PM must clearly communicate these risks to the sponsor and recommend against the action, as per the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
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.
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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