Quick Answer
The correct answer is crashing, because a CPI less than 1 and SPI greater than 1 directly point to a project that is ahead of schedule but over budget. A Cost Performance Index of 0.8 means you are earning only 80 cents for every dollar spent, indicating cost inefficiency, while a Schedule Performance Index of 1.1 shows you are completing 110% of planned work, meaning you are ahead of schedule. Crashing is a schedule compression technique that adds extra resources—often at higher cost—to critical path activities to gain time, which perfectly explains why you would see this specific metric combination. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret earned value management (EVM) data and link it to real-world actions; a common trap is confusing crashing with fast-tracking, which does not increase cost. Remember the memory tip: “Crash costs cash, but speeds the dash”—when you see a low CPI paired with a high SPI, think of spending more money to buy back time.
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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 notices that the project's cost performance index (CPI) is 0.8 and the schedule performance index (SPI) is 1.1. What is the MOST likely cause of this situation?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The project is ahead of schedule and under budget.
Why wrong: CPI < 1 means over budget, not under.
The project is behind schedule and over budget.
Why wrong: SPI > 1 means ahead of schedule.
The project is ahead of schedule but over budget, possibly due to crashing.
Crashing adds cost to gain time, explaining the indices.
The project is behind schedule and under budget.
Why wrong: SPI > 1 means ahead of schedule, not behind.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The project is ahead of schedule but over budget, possibly due to crashing.
A CPI of 0.8 indicates the project is over budget (earning only $0.80 for every $1.00 spent), while an SPI of 1.1 indicates it is ahead of schedule (completing 110% of planned work). Crashing is a schedule compression technique that adds resources to critical path activities, increasing cost to gain schedule performance, which directly explains this combination of metrics.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The project is ahead of schedule and under budget.
Why it's wrong here
CPI < 1 means over budget, not under.
The project is behind schedule and over budget.
Why it's wrong here
SPI > 1 means ahead of schedule.
The project is ahead of schedule but over budget, possibly due to crashing.
Why this is correct
Crashing adds cost to gain time, explaining the indices.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The project is behind schedule and under budget.
Why it's wrong here
SPI > 1 means ahead of schedule, not behind.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often misinterpret CPI < 1 as 'behind schedule' and SPI > 1 as 'under budget,' confusing cost and schedule performance indices, or they fail to recognize crashing as the specific cause of this opposite-direction variance.
Detailed technical explanation
Crashing involves adding resources (e.g., overtime, extra staff) to critical path tasks, which increases direct costs (labor, materials) and lowers CPI, while accelerating schedule completion and raising SPI. In earned value management (EVM), this trade-off is typical when schedule is prioritized over cost, and the project manager must monitor the TCPI (To-Complete Performance Index) to assess if the remaining budget can absorb the cost overrun.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The project is ahead of schedule but over budget, possibly due to crashing. — A CPI of 0.8 indicates the project is over budget (earning only $0.80 for every $1.00 spent), while an SPI of 1.1 indicates it is ahead of schedule (completing 110% of planned work). Crashing is a schedule compression technique that adds resources to critical path activities, increasing cost to gain schedule performance, which directly explains this combination of metrics.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your project's cost performance index (CPI) is 0.8, and the schedule performance index (SPI) is 1.1. The project is in the execution phase. What is the most likely reason for these indices?
easyWhy D: Option C is correct because CPI < 1 indicates cost overrun, while SPI > 1 indicates ahead of schedule, often due to crashing (adding resources). Option A is wrong because scope reduction would likely improve CPI. Option B is wrong because fast tracking would affect schedule. Option D is wrong because rework would worsen both.
Variation 2. You are managing a project that has a cost performance index (CPI) of 0.8 and a schedule performance index (SPI) of 1.1. The project is behind schedule? The earned value data shows EV = $80,000, PV = $72,727, and AC = $100,000. Which THREE actions should you take?
hardWhy A: Options A, C, and E are correct. A: The cost variance is negative ($20,000), so investigate the root cause. C: The project is ahead of schedule (SPI>1), but cost overruns may be due to fast-tracking; consider schedule compression techniques that are more cost-effective. E: The overrun could be due to scope creep; ensure all changes go through change control. Option B is incorrect because the project is ahead of schedule, not behind. Option D is incorrect because reducing scope unilaterally is not appropriate without change control.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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