- A
Immediately fast track remaining critical path activities to make up the two weeks
Why wrong: Fast tracking without assessing rework risk may lead to more delays.
- B
Request the sponsor to approve additional budget for overtime on all activities
Why wrong: Applying overtime broadly may not be efficient; focusing on critical path is more effective.
- C
Update the risk register and accept the two-week delay as a residual risk
Why wrong: Accepting the delay without attempting recovery is not proactive when compression techniques are available.
- D
Implement crashing by adding resources to critical path activities, after evaluating cost and benefit
Crashing can reduce schedule duration but requires trade-off analysis. It's a valid technique when contingency is exhausted.
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 managing a construction project that is behind schedule. The project has non-critical activities with significant float. A key supplier has informed you that a critical component will be delayed by two weeks, impacting the critical path. You have already used up all schedule contingency. What should you do NEXT?
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
Implement crashing by adding resources to critical path activities, after evaluating cost and benefit
Option D is correct because, with all schedule contingency exhausted and the critical path impacted by a two-week delay, the next step is to implement a schedule compression technique. Crashing involves adding resources to critical path activities to reduce duration, but it must be done after evaluating cost-benefit trade-offs to ensure the additional cost is justified by the time saved. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on using crashing when fast tracking is not feasible or has already been applied.
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.
- ✗
Immediately fast track remaining critical path activities to make up the two weeks
Why it's wrong here
Fast tracking without assessing rework risk may lead to more delays.
- ✗
Request the sponsor to approve additional budget for overtime on all activities
Why it's wrong here
Applying overtime broadly may not be efficient; focusing on critical path is more effective.
- ✗
Update the risk register and accept the two-week delay as a residual risk
Why it's wrong here
Accepting the delay without attempting recovery is not proactive when compression techniques are available.
- ✓
Implement crashing by adding resources to critical path activities, after evaluating cost and benefit
Why this is correct
Crashing can reduce schedule duration but requires trade-off analysis. It's a valid technique when contingency is exhausted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse fast tracking (option A) with crashing, or they prematurely accept the delay (option C) without first attempting a schedule compression technique that is still viable within the project constraints.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Crashing is a schedule compression technique that focuses on the critical path by adding resources (e.g., overtime, additional staff) to reduce activity duration, but it always increases cost. The cost-benefit analysis involves calculating the crash cost per unit of time saved and comparing it to the value of avoiding the delay; only activities with the lowest crash cost per day should be crashed first. In real-world construction, crashing might involve paying expedited shipping for the delayed component or hiring extra shifts for critical path tasks, but only after confirming that the cost does not exceed the penalty for late delivery.
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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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: Implement crashing by adding resources to critical path activities, after evaluating cost and benefit — Option D is correct because, with all schedule contingency exhausted and the critical path impacted by a two-week delay, the next step is to implement a schedule compression technique. Crashing involves adding resources to critical path activities to reduce duration, but it must be done after evaluating cost-benefit trade-offs to ensure the additional cost is justified by the time saved. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's guidance on using crashing when fast tracking is not feasible or has already been applied.
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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