PMP Change Control Process Practice Question
During a project status meeting, an executive stakeholder informs the team that they have instructed a developer to add a new feature to the product without going through the change control process. The developer has already completed the work. What should the project manager do NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMP often tests whether candidates choose to 'reverse' or 'ignore' an unauthorized change rather than the PMI-correct action of documenting it and routing it through change control retroactively.
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
✓
Document the change and submit a retroactive change request to the change control board
Since the work is already complete, the PM cannot undo it without causing disruption; the correct next step is to bring the change under governance by documenting it and submitting a retroactive change request to the CCB. This preserves the integrity of the change control process while acknowledging reality.
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 executive that this violates the change control process and ignore the change
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring an executive-mandated change, even if it bypasses process, is an ineffective and potentially damaging approach. It fails to address the actual work initiated, creates unmanaged scope, and can severely strain the relationship with a key stakeholder. A project manager's role is to manage changes, not to dismiss them outright, which would lead to unacknowledged work and potential project failure.
- ✗
Remove the new feature from the product
Why it's wrong here
Unilaterally removing a new feature, especially one initiated by an executive, is a reactive and unmanaged response. Such an action would likely cause significant rework if the feature was already partially implemented, lead to immediate stakeholder dissatisfaction, and escalate the issue by directly contradicting an executive's input without proper analysis or communication. It bypasses any formal assessment of value or impact.
- ✗
Ask the executive to reverse the change immediately
Why it's wrong here
Directly asking an executive to reverse a change immediately is confrontational and likely to damage the crucial stakeholder relationship. This approach fails to acknowledge the executive's input or the potential value of the change, instead demanding an immediate reversal without any formal impact analysis, discussion, or a constructive path forward for integrating the change into the project.
- ✓
Document the change and submit a retroactive change request to the change control board
Why this is correct
It appropriately balances acknowledging the executive's input with adhering to project governance. Documenting the change ensures it is formally recognized and tracked, while submitting a retroactive change request allows the Change Control Board (CCB) to properly assess its impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality. This formal process integrates the change into the project baseline in a controlled manner, mitigating risks and maintaining project integrity.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 820 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 and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
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.