- A
Politely decline all additional requests from stakeholders
Why wrong: Declining all requests is not realistic; changes should be evaluated through a formal process.
- B
Increase the project budget to accommodate potential changes
Why wrong: Increasing budget without process does not prevent scope creep.
- C
Ask the team to accommodate small requests without documentation if they are low effort
Why wrong: Even small changes should be documented and approved to prevent scope creep.
- D
Implement a formal change control process and educate stakeholders on how to submit change requests
A formal process with stakeholder education helps manage changes properly.
- E
Review and update the scope management plan to clarify how changes will be handled
Updating the plan ensures everyone understands the process for scope changes.
Quick Answer
The answer is to implement a formal change control process and update the scope management plan. These two actions directly address scope creep control actions by establishing a documented, repeatable procedure for evaluating stakeholder requests before any work is done, and by clarifying the scope management plan to define how changes will be handled, approved, or rejected. On the Project Management Professional PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Plan Scope Management and Perform Integrated Change Control processes, often appearing as a situational question where informal requests have bypassed the change control board. A common trap is to choose only one action, such as simply saying "no" to stakeholders, but the PMBOK emphasizes that proactive control requires both a process and a plan. Remember the memory tip: "Process and Plan" — without both, scope creep will continue.
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.
Your project is experiencing scope creep due to informal requests from stakeholders. The project manager wants to establish better control. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?
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
Implement a formal change control process and educate stakeholders on how to submit change requests
Options B and E are correct: implementing a formal change control process and updating the scope management plan are proactive steps to control scope.
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.
- ✗
Politely decline all additional requests from stakeholders
Why it's wrong here
Declining all requests is not realistic; changes should be evaluated through a formal process.
- ✗
Increase the project budget to accommodate potential changes
Why it's wrong here
Increasing budget without process does not prevent scope creep.
- ✗
Ask the team to accommodate small requests without documentation if they are low effort
Why it's wrong here
Even small changes should be documented and approved to prevent scope creep.
- ✓
Implement a formal change control process and educate stakeholders on how to submit change requests
Why this is correct
A formal process with stakeholder education helps manage changes properly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Review and update the scope management plan to clarify how changes will be handled
Why this is correct
Updating the plan ensures everyone understands the process for scope changes.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Implement a formal change control process and educate stakeholders on how to submit change requests — Options B and E are correct: implementing a formal change control process and updating the scope management plan are proactive steps to control scope.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This PMP practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PMP exam.
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