New Regulatory Requirement: First Step in Change Control
Your project is in the execution phase, and a new regulatory requirement has been discovered that will affect the project scope. The change is mandatory and must be implemented within two weeks. What should you do FIRST?
Quick Answer
The answer is to submit a change request for the new requirement and assess its impact. This is correct because the PMBOK Guide’s integrated change control process mandates that even a mandatory regulatory requirement must be formally documented and evaluated for effects on scope, schedule, cost, and quality before any action is taken. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding that a new regulatory requirement change control process always begins with a change request, not with direct implementation or plan updates—a common trap where test-takers assume “mandatory” means skipping governance. The key insight is that compliance does not override process; you must assess impact first to determine how the requirement integrates with existing baselines. Remember the mnemonic “CR before IR” (Change Request before Implementation or Revision) to avoid falling for distractors that suggest updating the plan or stopping work immediately.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume mandatory changes can bypass the formal change control process, leading them to choose direct plan updates or sponsor approval, but the PMP exam always requires a change request as the first step regardless of urgency.
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 for the new requirement and assess its impact
When a mandatory regulatory requirement is discovered during execution, the first step is to submit a change request and assess its impact. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's integrated change control process, which requires that all changes—even mandatory ones—be formally documented and evaluated for their effect on scope, schedule, cost, and quality before any action is taken. Directly updating the plan or stopping work bypasses this critical governance step.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Directly update the project management plan to reflect the new requirement
Why it's wrong here
Updating the PM plan without change control approval is a violation.
- ✓
Submit a change request for the new requirement and assess its impact
Why this is correct
Even mandatory changes must follow the change control process to ensure impact is understood and approved.
- ✗
Stop all project work until the change is resolved
Why it's wrong here
Stopping work is drastic; the change should be processed while other work continues.
- ✗
Inform the sponsor and ask for immediate approval
Why it's wrong here
The sponsor may approve, but the formal process should still be followed.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Introduction to the PMP Exam and Project Management Basics
Key term
Change Control Process
A formal, structured procedure used to manage any changes to a project's scope, schedule, budget, or requirements, ensuring every modification is reviewed, approved, tested, and documented before implementation.
About these practice questions
This PMP question is part of Courseiva's 800-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PMP
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A new regulatory requirement has been discovered mid-project. This requirement will affect the project scope and schedule. Which THREE actions should you take?
hard- A.Ignore the requirement until the next project phase
- ✓ B.Assess the impact of the new requirement on scope, schedule, and cost
- ✓ C.Communicate the potential impact to key stakeholders
- D.Implement the requirement immediately to ensure compliance
- ✓ E.Submit a change request to formally propose the necessary modifications
Why B: A new regulatory requirement discovered mid-project must be assessed for its impact on the triple constraint (scope, schedule, cost) before any action is taken. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's Perform Integrated Change Control process, where the project manager evaluates the effect of a change on all project baselines. Without this assessment, you cannot determine the feasibility or the necessary adjustments to the project plan.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.