The answer is the project management plan (schedule and cost baselines), the business case, and the risk register. These three documents are essential for a business case impact analysis because the business case itself contains the original financial justification and expected returns, while the schedule and cost baselines in the project management plan provide the current performance data needed to quantify the six-month extension’s effect on budget and timeline. The risk register must also be reviewed, as it holds assumptions and constraints that the new regulation may invalidate, directly influencing the business case’s viability. On the PMP exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish documents that contain financial and baseline data from work breakdown structures or stakeholder registers, which lack the quantitative detail needed for impact analysis. A common trap is choosing the WBS because it seems related to scope, but it only lists deliverables, not costs or schedules. Memory tip: think “BCR” for Business case, Cost baseline, and Risk register—the three pillars of impact analysis.
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
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.
You are managing a pharmaceutical research project using a predictive approach. A new regulation requires additional clinical trials that will extend the project by 6 months. The sponsor wants to know how this affects the business case. Which THREE documents should you review to provide an informed response?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Risk register
Option A is correct because the business case justifies the project and includes financial analysis. Option B is correct because the project management plan contains the schedule and cost baseline. Option D is correct because the risk register contains assumptions and constraints that may be affected. Option C is wrong because the WBS is a deliverable breakdown, not for impact analysis. Option E is wrong because the stakeholder register does not contain financial information.
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.
✓
Risk register
Why this is correct
The risk register may contain assumptions about regulations and their impact.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Business case
Why this is correct
The business case includes cost-benefit analysis and justification.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Stakeholder register
Why it's wrong here
The stakeholder register lists stakeholders and their influence, not financial data.
✗
Work breakdown structure dictionary
Why it's wrong here
The WBS dictionary describes deliverables, not financial impact.
✓
Project management plan (schedule and cost baselines)
Why this is correct
Baselines show the impact on schedule and cost.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Risk register — Option A is correct because the business case justifies the project and includes financial analysis. Option B is correct because the project management plan contains the schedule and cost baseline. Option D is correct because the risk register contains assumptions and constraints that may be affected. Option C is wrong because the WBS is a deliverable breakdown, not for impact analysis. Option E is wrong because the stakeholder register does not contain financial information.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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