PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are a project manager for a marketing campaign project. A team member has proposed a new approach that could improve the campaign's effectiveness but would require additional budget and extend the timeline. What should you do?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates think improving effectiveness automatically justifies approval (Option B) or that sticking to the original plan is always best (Option C), but the PMP exam emphasizes following the formal change control process regardless of the change's apparent merit.
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 with an analysis of the benefits, costs, and risks
As a project manager, you must follow the formal change control process when a proposed change affects the project's budget and timeline. Submitting a change request with a thorough analysis of benefits, costs, and risks ensures that the change is evaluated based on objective data and approved by the appropriate stakeholders, maintaining project governance and alignment with business objectives.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Encourage the team member to implement the new approach informally
Why it's wrong here
This action directly bypasses the formal Integrated Change Control process, which is a critical project management discipline. Implementing changes informally can lead to scope creep, unmanaged risks, budget overruns, and a lack of proper documentation, making it impossible to track the project baseline effectively. Such an approach undermines project governance and accountability, potentially jeopardizing project success and stakeholder confidence.
- ✗
Approve the change since it improves effectiveness
Why it's wrong here
While the proposed change may offer benefits, a project manager typically lacks the unilateral authority to approve significant changes to the project baselines. Project changes must undergo formal evaluation through the Integrated Change Control process, often involving a Change Control Board (CCB) or designated stakeholders. Approving it solely based on perceived effectiveness, without proper assessment and formal authorization, constitutes a critical breach of project governance.
- ✗
Reject the proposal to stay within the original plan
Why it's wrong here
Rejecting a team member's proposal outright, even with the intent of adhering strictly to the original plan, is an ineffective project management practice. It stifles innovation, discourages team engagement, and prevents the project from potentially incorporating valuable improvements that could enhance outcomes or mitigate future risks. All proposed changes, especially those offering potential benefits, warrant a thorough evaluation through the change control process to determine their true impact.
- ✓
Submit a change request with an analysis of the benefits, costs, and risks
Why this is correct
This is the correct action as it adheres to the formal Integrated Change Control process, a cornerstone of effective project management. Submitting a change request ensures the proposed new approach is properly documented, analyzed for its potential benefits, costs, and associated risks, and then formally reviewed by relevant stakeholders or the Change Control Board (CCB). This systematic approach maintains project integrity, manages expectations, and ensures all approved changes are incorporated into the project baselines in a controlled manner.
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.
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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.