- A
Reduce the scope of the project
Why wrong: Reducing scope would require a change request and may not be acceptable to the sponsor without formal approval.
- B
Fast-tracking activities on the critical path
Fast-tracking performs activities in parallel and typically does not increase cost, though it may increase risk.
- C
Apply resource leveling to smooth resource usage
Why wrong: Resource leveling can actually increase schedule duration, not compress it.
- D
Crashing the critical path by adding more resources
Why wrong: Crashing usually increases cost, which contradicts the sponsor's constraint of no cost increase.
Question 254 of 892
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.
You are the project manager for a large infrastructure project. During a routine check, you discover that the project's SPI is 0.85 and the CPI is 0.90. The project sponsor is concerned about the schedule delay and asks you to compress the schedule without increasing costs. Which technique is BEST suited for this situation?
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
✓
Fast-tracking activities on the critical path
Fast-tracking involves performing critical path activities in parallel rather than sequentially, which can compress the schedule without increasing costs. Since the project has a CPI of 0.90 (over budget) and an SPI of 0.85 (behind schedule), crashing would add costs, making fast-tracking the only schedule compression technique that does not increase costs.
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.
- ✗
Reduce the scope of the project
Why it's wrong here
Reducing scope would require a change request and may not be acceptable to the sponsor without formal approval.
- ✓
Fast-tracking activities on the critical path
Why this is correct
Fast-tracking performs activities in parallel and typically does not increase cost, though it may increase risk.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Apply resource leveling to smooth resource usage
Why it's wrong here
Resource leveling can actually increase schedule duration, not compress it.
- ✗
Crashing the critical path by adding more resources
Why it's wrong here
Crashing usually increases cost, which contradicts the sponsor's constraint of no cost increase.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The PMP exam often tests the distinction between fast-tracking (no cost increase, higher risk) and crashing (cost increase, lower risk), and candidates mistakenly choose crashing because it seems more direct, ignoring the cost constraint implied by the CPI.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Fast-tracking works by overlapping activities that were originally planned in sequence, but it increases risk of rework if the parallel activities are dependent. In earned value management, schedule compression techniques must be evaluated against both SPI and CPI; here, the CPI of 0.90 signals cost overruns, so crashing would worsen the cost performance index. Real-world infrastructure projects often use fast-tracking for design-build phases, but it requires careful risk assessment to avoid quality issues.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
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: Fast-tracking activities on the critical path — Fast-tracking involves performing critical path activities in parallel rather than sequentially, which can compress the schedule without increasing costs. Since the project has a CPI of 0.90 (over budget) and an SPI of 0.85 (behind schedule), crashing would add costs, making fast-tracking the only schedule compression technique that does not increase costs.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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