The answer is to review the project resource management plan and update the staffing requirements. This is the correct first step because the resource management plan is the foundational document that outlines how team members are acquired, developed, and replaced; it contains pre-defined staffing requirements, role descriptions, and acquisition methods such as hiring or internal reassignment. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Plan Resource Management process and the importance of following documented procedures rather than jumping to ad-hoc solutions like immediately posting a job or reassigning work—a common trap where candidates confuse urgency with process. When a key team member resigns, the project manager must first consult the plan to ensure any replacement aligns with the project’s budget, schedule, and skill needs, avoiding disruption to technical execution. Memory tip: think “Plan before you act”—the resource management plan is your roadmap for staffing changes, so always check it first.
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.
During project execution, a key team member resigns. The project manager needs to fill the position quickly. What is the FIRST step the project manager should take?
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
✓
Review the project resource management plan and update the staffing requirements.
The project resource management plan contains the procedures for acquiring, developing, and managing the project team. When a key team member resigns, the first step is to review this plan to identify the pre-defined staffing requirements, roles, and acquisition methods (e.g., hiring, reassignment) before taking any action. This ensures alignment with the project's resource constraints and avoids ad-hoc decisions that could disrupt the project's technical execution.
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.
✓
Review the project resource management plan and update the staffing requirements.
Why this is correct
The plan outlines roles and requirements, guiding the search.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Immediately hire a replacement with similar skills.
Why it's wrong here
Hiring without analysis may result in a poor fit.
✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor for approval to hire.
Why it's wrong here
The project manager typically has authority to hire within budget.
✗
Ask the team to redistribute the workload.
Why it's wrong here
This is a temporary measure; a replacement is needed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that the project manager should immediately escalate or take reactive action (like hiring or redistributing work) rather than first consulting the project management plan, which is the authoritative source for process-driven decisions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The project resource management plan is a component of the project management plan that details how resources are estimated, acquired, managed, and controlled. It includes resource calendars, roles and responsibilities (via a RACI matrix), and staffing management procedures such as pre-approval for hires or use of contingent staff. In practice, a project manager should first check if the plan allows for backfilling from a pre-qualified pool or if a change request is needed to adjust the staffing requirements, ensuring compliance with organizational process assets and enterprise environmental factors.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
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: Review the project resource management plan and update the staffing requirements. — The project resource management plan contains the procedures for acquiring, developing, and managing the project team. When a key team member resigns, the first step is to review this plan to identify the pre-defined staffing requirements, roles, and acquisition methods (e.g., hiring, reassignment) before taking any action. This ensures alignment with the project's resource constraints and avoids ad-hoc decisions that could disrupt the project's technical execution.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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