PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
During a project's execution phase, a new regulatory requirement is discovered that will impact the project scope. The requirement is mandatory and must be implemented. What is the first action the project manager should take?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'mandatory' with 'immediate implementation,' forgetting that even mandatory changes must follow the formal change control process to maintain baseline integrity and project governance.
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
✓
Submit a change request describing the new requirement and its impact on scope, schedule, and cost
The PMBOK Guide mandates that any change impacting scope, schedule, or cost must be formally documented and processed through the Integrated Change Control (ICC) process. A change request is the first formal step to capture the new regulatory requirement, its impact on the project baselines, and to obtain approval before implementation. This ensures compliance with the regulatory mandate while maintaining project governance and traceability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Inform the sponsor and ask for a decision
Why it's wrong here
Informing the sponsor is a necessary communication step, but it is premature to ask for a decision without first performing a thorough impact analysis. The project manager is responsible for assessing the new regulatory requirement's potential effects on the project's scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives. This analysis forms the basis of a formal change request, which then provides the sponsor with the necessary information to make an informed decision within the established change control process.
- ✗
Instruct the team to implement the requirement immediately to ensure compliance
Why it's wrong here
Instructing the team to implement the requirement immediately, even if mandatory, bypasses the critical integrated change control process. This action would lead to unauthorized scope creep and potentially disrupt the project's baseline without proper assessment of its impact on cost, schedule, and resources. All changes, regardless of their origin or perceived urgency, must follow the defined change management plan to maintain project control and ensure stakeholder alignment.
- ✓
Submit a change request describing the new requirement and its impact on scope, schedule, and cost
Why this is correct
This is the correct action because all changes, including those mandated by new regulatory requirements, must be formally processed through the integrated change control system. Submitting a change request ensures that the new requirement's full impact on the project baselines (scope, schedule, and cost) is thoroughly analyzed and documented. This formal process allows for proper evaluation, stakeholder communication, and ultimately, an informed decision and authorized update to the project management plan.
- ✗
Update the project management plan to include the new requirement without formal approval
Why it's wrong here
Updating the project management plan or any of its subsidiary plans without formal approval constitutes a direct violation of the integrated change control process. The project management plan and its baselines are controlled documents, and any modifications require a formal change request, impact analysis, and authorized approval to maintain project integrity and prevent unauthorized changes. Bypassing this process undermines project governance and can lead to unmanaged scope, schedule, or cost deviations.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 800 original PMP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.