The answer is to meet with the team member to discuss the issue and explain that only approved scope should be worked on. This is correct because gold-plating in predictive projects is a direct violation of scope management, where the project manager must first address the unauthorized change at the individual level to reinforce the baseline scope defined in the project management plan. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Manage Stakeholder Engagement and Control Scope processes, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly escalate to a change request or punish the team member immediately. The key is to remember that gold-plating is not a change request—it is a behavioral issue requiring immediate coaching. Memory tip: think “Gold is a trap, not a change request—talk first, fix scope next.”
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is using a predictive approach. The project manager discovers that a team member has been gold-plating by adding extra features to a deliverable without authorization. What should the project manager do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Meet with the team member to discuss the issue and explain that only approved scope should be worked on.
Gold-plating is a violation of scope management. The PM must address the issue directly with the team member, explain why it's problematic, and reinforce the need to follow the defined scope. Corrective action may include removing the extra features.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Meet with the team member to discuss the issue and explain that only approved scope should be worked on.
Why this is correct
The PM should address the behavior directly, educating the team member on the importance of scope control.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Praise the team member for going above and beyond to satisfy the customer.
Why it's wrong here
Gold-plating is not acceptable as it adds unnecessary cost and risk.
✗
Submit a change request to formally approve the extra features.
Why it's wrong here
While a change request could be submitted, the immediate action is to stop the unauthorized work and discuss with the team member.
✗
Ignore it because it might improve customer satisfaction.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring gold-plating sets a bad precedent and can lead to scope creep and budget overruns.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PMP questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Meet with the team member to discuss the issue and explain that only approved scope should be worked on. — Gold-plating is a violation of scope management. The PM must address the issue directly with the team member, explain why it's problematic, and reinforce the need to follow the defined scope. Corrective action may include removing the extra features.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related PMP questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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