PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
In the middle of a project, new government regulations are introduced that affect your deliverables. Compliance is mandatory. The project is currently on schedule and on budget. What should the project manager do FIRST?
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 to assess the impact of the regulation on the project baselines.
The PM must assess the impact of the regulation and then follow change control. Option D is correct. Option A bypasses process; Option B is premature; Option C may be needed later but not first.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Incorporate the changes to comply with the regulation immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Incorporating changes immediately, even for regulatory compliance, bypasses the formal Integrated Change Control process. All changes impacting project baselines (scope, schedule, cost, quality) require a change request and evaluation to understand their full impact and secure approval. Acting unilaterally without this process can lead to uncontrolled scope creep, resource misallocation, and unapproved baseline deviations, jeopardizing project success and governance.
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Notify the sponsor that the project will be delayed and over budget.
Why it's wrong here
Notifying the sponsor of delays and budget overruns prematurely, without a thorough impact assessment, is unprofessional and speculative. The project manager must first analyze the new regulation's specific effects on project baselines, resources, and timelines to provide accurate, data-driven information. Communicating unverified impacts can create unnecessary alarm and undermine stakeholder confidence, making informed decision-making difficult.
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Consult legal to determine the exact requirements.
Why it's wrong here
While consulting legal counsel is a crucial step to understand the precise requirements and implications of new regulations, it is not the *first* action a project manager should take in the context of project governance. The PM's primary responsibility is to initiate the formal change control process by submitting a change request. This ensures that even external constraints requiring legal interpretation are formally brought into the project's management framework for impact assessment and controlled integration.
- ✓
Submit a change request to assess the impact of the regulation on the project baselines.
Why this is correct
New government regulations impose an external constraint that must be integrated into the project’s compliance framework. Submitting a change request initiates the formal change control process, which is required because the regulation impacts the project baselines (scope, schedule, cost). This satisfies the “compliance is mandatory” constraint by ensuring the impact is assessed before any baseline adjustments are made.
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