Process — Managing Technical Aspects →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question

You are managing a large infrastructure project. At the midpoint, earned value analysis shows CPI = 0.85 and SPI = 0.90. The project budget is $10 million, and the schedule is tight. Several stakeholders are concerned about cost overruns. What should you do 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

✓

Analyze the cost and schedule variances to identify root causes and develop corrective actions.

The first step when facing cost and schedule variances is to analyze the variances to understand their root causes before taking any corrective action. This aligns with the PMI's iterative process of monitoring and controlling. Option A is incorrect because immediately reducing scope without analysis may negatively impact project objectives. Option B is premature; a change request should only be submitted after analysis and determination of necessary actions. Option C is incorrect because reducing quality compromises the project's deliverables and is not a recommended corrective action.

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 reduce scope to bring costs back in line.
Why it's wrong here
Immediately reducing scope without proper analysis and formal change control is a reactive and potentially detrimental action. Such a unilateral decision bypasses the Integrated Change Control process, risking stakeholder dissatisfaction, incomplete deliverables, or shifting problems elsewhere in the project. Any scope adjustment must be systematically evaluated for its impact on all project constraints and approved through established governance.
✗
Submit a change request to increase the budget by 15% to cover the overrun.
Why it's wrong here
Submitting a change request to increase the budget by an arbitrary percentage without first conducting a thorough root cause analysis is a premature and ineffective response. This approach merely treats the symptom (cost overrun) rather than identifying and addressing the underlying problems causing the variance. Project management principles dictate that corrective actions should target the root causes to prevent recurrence and ensure efficient resource allocation.
✗
Instruct the team to reduce quality to lower costs.
Why it's wrong here
Deliberately instructing the team to reduce quality to lower costs is a highly detrimental and unethical practice, directly contradicting fundamental PMI principles. Compromising quality often leads to increased rework, warranty claims, reputational damage, and ultimately higher total lifecycle costs due to defects and failures. Quality management emphasizes meeting requirements, not sacrificing them, to ensure project success and stakeholder satisfaction.
✓
Analyze the cost and schedule variances to identify root causes and develop corrective actions.
Why this is correct
Analyzing cost and schedule variances to identify root causes and develop corrective actions is the most appropriate and professional response to project performance issues. This systematic approach involves using tools like Earned Value Management (EVM) to quantify deviations, then performing root cause analysis to understand *why* these variances occurred. Only after understanding the underlying issues can effective, targeted corrective or preventive actions be planned and implemented to bring the project back on track.

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PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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