The answer is to explain the risks of reducing quality and recommend submitting a change request if cost reduction is necessary. This is correct because the Project Management Professional PMP exam strictly follows PMI’s ethical and process-based principles, which require that any change to the project baseline—including quality—must go through formal change control with a full impact analysis. When a sponsor requests cost reduction by cutting quality, the project manager’s first duty is to communicate the downstream risks, such as rework, defects, and reputational damage, before escalating through the proper change request process. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Perform Integrated Change Control process and the distinction between a proactive, risk-aware response versus reactive shortcuts. A common trap is choosing to simply cut testing to please the sponsor, which violates the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Memory tip: “Quality is not negotiable without a change request—always analyze before you authorize.”
PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of business environment: strategy and project benefits. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A project manager is managing a construction project that is currently 15% over budget at the midpoint. The sponsor asks the PM to reduce quality testing to save costs. What should the PM 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
✓
Explain the risks of reducing quality and recommend submitting a change request if cost reduction is necessary
Option A is correct because reducing quality without change control and impact analysis is risky and violates PMI principles. Option B is reactive, option C bypasses analysis, option D ignores the issue.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Explain the risks of reducing quality and recommend submitting a change request if cost reduction is necessary
Why this is correct
The PM should communicate risks and follow the change control process for any changes to quality or budget.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Ignore the sponsor's request and continue with the current plan
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring stakeholder concerns is not proactive; the PM should engage and discuss alternatives.
✗
Agree with the sponsor and reduce testing immediately
Why it's wrong here
Implementing changes without analysis and approval is not acceptable.
✗
Review the budget and identify other areas to cut costs without affecting quality
Why it's wrong here
This may be part of the solution but should be done through a formal change request.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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. OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough. 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.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related PMP OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Business Environment: strategy and project benefits — This question tests Business Environment: strategy and project benefits — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Explain the risks of reducing quality and recommend submitting a change request if cost reduction is necessary — Option A is correct because reducing quality without change control and impact analysis is risky and violates PMI principles. Option B is reactive, option C bypasses analysis, option D ignores the issue.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related PMP OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
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?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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