- A
Conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan
Collaborative root cause analysis aligns with PMI's emphasis on communication and problem-solving before escalation.
- B
Request that your team rework the specifications to be more detailed and clear
Why wrong: This assumes the issue is solely with the specifications, which may not be true; a root cause analysis is needed first.
- C
Replace the vendor with a new one that can meet the deadlines
Why wrong: Switching vendors without investigating the cause of delays could repeat the problem and cause further delays.
- D
Formally notify the vendor of the delays and threaten legal action if performance does not improve
Why wrong: Threatening legal action without understanding the root cause is premature and may damage the relationship.
Quick Answer
The correct first step is to conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan. This is the right move because the PMP exam emphasizes addressing the source of a conflict—here, the vendor delays—rather than reacting to symptoms like blame or schedule pressure. By performing a root cause analysis, you align with the PMI’s Manage Stakeholder Engagement and Manage Team processes, ensuring you uncover whether the true problem is incomplete specifications or vendor performance, then collaboratively build a fix. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize investigation over escalation; a common trap is jumping to contract penalties or schedule compression without first diagnosing the root cause. Remember the memory tip: “Blame is a symptom, root cause is the cure.”
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. 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.
You are managing a large-scale project with multiple vendors. One vendor is consistently late in delivering critical components, jeopardizing the project schedule. The vendor blames the delays on your team's incomplete specifications. What should you 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 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
Conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan
Option A is correct because, as a project manager, your first step should be to investigate the root cause of the conflict before taking corrective action. Conducting a root cause analysis with both the vendor and your team aligns with the PMI's 'Manage Stakeholder Engagement' and 'Manage Team' processes, ensuring you address the underlying issue (incomplete specifications vs. vendor performance) rather than symptoms. This collaborative approach preserves the relationship and prevents recurrence, which is critical for a large-scale project with multiple vendors.
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.
- ✓
Conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan
Why this is correct
Collaborative root cause analysis aligns with PMI's emphasis on communication and problem-solving before escalation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Request that your team rework the specifications to be more detailed and clear
Why it's wrong here
This assumes the issue is solely with the specifications, which may not be true; a root cause analysis is needed first.
- ✗
Replace the vendor with a new one that can meet the deadlines
Why it's wrong here
Switching vendors without investigating the cause of delays could repeat the problem and cause further delays.
- ✗
Formally notify the vendor of the delays and threaten legal action if performance does not improve
Why it's wrong here
Threatening legal action without understanding the root cause is premature and may damage the relationship.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to a 'fix the specs' or 'punish the vendor' solution without first validating the root cause, confusing a symptom (late delivery) with the underlying problem (which could be on either side or both).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Root cause analysis (RCA) in project management often uses techniques like the '5 Whys' or fishbone diagrams to distinguish between proximate causes (e.g., late delivery) and systemic causes (e.g., unclear specifications, vendor capacity issues). In a multi-vendor environment, RCA must also consider interdependencies—for example, one vendor's delay might cascade to others, making it essential to isolate the specific failure point. The PMBOK Guide emphasizes that corrective action plans derived from RCA should include agreed-upon metrics and a timeline for resolution, which protects the project baseline and provides an audit trail.
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.
- →
People — Leading Projects — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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People — Leading Projects practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
People — Leading Projects — This question tests People — Leading Projects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Conduct a root cause analysis with the vendor and your team to identify underlying issues and develop a corrective action plan — Option A is correct because, as a project manager, your first step should be to investigate the root cause of the conflict before taking corrective action. Conducting a root cause analysis with both the vendor and your team aligns with the PMI's 'Manage Stakeholder Engagement' and 'Manage Team' processes, ensuring you address the underlying issue (incomplete specifications vs. vendor performance) rather than symptoms. This collaborative approach preserves the relationship and prevents recurrence, which is critical for a large-scale project with multiple vendors.
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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