PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
You are leading a project to develop a new product. The marketing department requests a last-minute change that would increase the project's scope significantly. The project is on track and within budget. Which TWO actions should the project manager take?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMI often tests the misconception that a project manager can reject or approve changes based on project performance alone, rather than following the formal change control process and assessing impact first.
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 to the change control board
Any change that significantly increases scope must go through the formal change control process, even if the project is on track. The project manager must submit a change request to the Change Control Board (CCB) for evaluation and approval, ensuring proper governance and alignment with project 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.
- ✗
Reject the change because the project is on track
Why it's wrong here
Rejecting a proposed change simply because the project is currently on track is an inappropriate response. All change requests, regardless of current project status, must undergo a formal evaluation process to determine their potential benefits, risks, and alignment with strategic objectives. Automatically dismissing a change prevents a thorough analysis of its value and bypasses established project governance procedures. This approach can lead to missed opportunities or stakeholder dissatisfaction.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Escalating a proposed change directly to the project sponsor without first conducting an impact assessment or preparing a formal change request is premature and inefficient. The Project Manager is responsible for initiating the change control process, which includes analyzing the change, documenting its implications, and presenting it to the appropriate authority, typically the Change Control Board (CCB). The sponsor's involvement is usually for significant, high-level decisions or unresolved issues after the initial PM-led process.
- ✓
Submit a change request to the change control board
Why this is correct
Submitting a formal change request to the Change Control Board (CCB) is the correct procedural step after a change has been identified and its impact assessed. This action adheres to the project's established integrated change control process, ensuring that all proposed modifications to baselines are formally reviewed, approved, or rejected by the designated authority. This structured approach prevents unauthorized alterations, maintains project integrity, and ensures stakeholder alignment.
- ✗
Incorporate the change to satisfy the marketing department
Why it's wrong here
Incorporating a change directly into the project without formal approval from the Change Control Board (CCB) is a critical breach of project governance and control. This action bypasses the essential integrated change control process, which is designed to evaluate the impact of changes on scope, schedule, cost, and quality. Implementing unapproved changes can lead to uncontrolled scope creep, budget overruns, schedule delays, and a loss of project baseline integrity, ultimately jeopardizing project success.
- ✓
Assess the impact of the change on the project schedule and budget
Why this is correct
Assessing the impact of a proposed change on the project schedule and budget is a crucial preliminary step before any decision or formal submission. This analysis provides the necessary data to understand the full implications of the change, including potential resource adjustments, timeline shifts, and cost variations. Without a thorough impact assessment, the Change Control Board (CCB) cannot make an informed decision regarding the change's viability or its alignment with project objectives. This step is foundational to a well-managed change control process.
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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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.