The answer is to submit a change request to formally assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost. This is correct because any new regulation that impacts project deliverables and the critical path triggers the integrated change control process, which requires a documented change request to evaluate the effects before any adjustments are made. Bypassing this formal step risks uncontrolled changes, schedule compression without approval, and non-compliance with governance. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Perform Integrated Change Control process and the importance of following the change management plan, even under external pressure. A common trap is jumping to fast-track or crash the schedule without first assessing the impact through a change request. Remember the mnemonic “CR before CR” — always submit a Change Request before making any Critical path adjustments.
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. 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.
In the middle of a project, a new regulation is introduced that impacts your project's deliverables. The team needs to make adjustments, but the change will affect the critical path. What should you 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
✓
Submit a change request to formally assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost
Option B is correct because when a new regulation impacts project deliverables and the critical path, the first step is to submit a formal change request. This initiates the integrated change control process, ensuring that the impact on scope, schedule, and cost is assessed through a structured review before any action is taken. Bypassing this formal process risks uncontrolled changes and non-compliance with project governance.
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.
✗
Update the risk register and assess the impact on the critical path
Why it's wrong here
This is part of the analysis, but the first step should be initiating a change request.
✓
Submit a change request to formally assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost
Why this is correct
Following the change control process ensures proper evaluation and approval.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Direct the team to immediately implement the changes to ensure compliance
Why it's wrong here
Changes should go through formal assessment and approval first.
✗
Inform the team to continue working as planned since the regulation may not be enforced
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring regulatory changes can expose the project to legal risks.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the immediate need to assess impact (Option A) with the formal first step of submitting a change request, failing to recognize that the change control process must be initiated before any analysis or action is taken.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, the change control system is a formal, documented process that governs how changes to the project baseline are proposed, evaluated, approved, and implemented. The critical path is the longest sequence of activities that determines the project's minimum duration; any change affecting it must be carefully analyzed for schedule compression or extension. Submitting a change request triggers a documented impact analysis, which includes assessing the regulation's effect on deliverables, re-estimating activity durations, and updating the project management plan only after formal approval.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Submit a change request to formally assess the impact on scope, schedule, and cost — Option B is correct because when a new regulation impacts project deliverables and the critical path, the first step is to submit a formal change request. This initiates the integrated change control process, ensuring that the impact on scope, schedule, and cost is assessed through a structured review before any action is taken. Bypassing this formal process risks uncontrolled changes and non-compliance with project governance.
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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