The answer is to ask the stakeholder to submit a formal change request for evaluation. This is correct because the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam strictly enforces the integrated change control process, which requires that all scope changes, regardless of perceived value, be documented and assessed through a formal change request before any action is taken. Even when a project is on schedule and under budget, bypassing this process—such as implementing the change immediately or rejecting it outright—violates the stakeholder scope change request process and the PM’s duty to protect the project baseline. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize process over intuition, with a common trap being the temptation to accept a valuable change without formal evaluation. Remember the memory tip: “Value does not bypass process—submit the request, then assess.”
PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of people — leading projects. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 project that is on schedule and under budget. A key stakeholder requests a significant scope change that would improve the product's value but also extend the schedule by 20%. The change has not been through change control. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ask the stakeholder to submit a formal change request for evaluation
Option D is correct because the PM must follow the change control process. Option A is wrong because it bypasses change control. Option B is wrong because it ignores the potential value. Option C is wrong because it does not follow proper process.
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.
✓
Ask the stakeholder to submit a formal change request for evaluation
Why this is correct
The change control process ensures proper evaluation and decision-making.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Refuse the change to protect the original schedule and budget
Why it's wrong here
Refusing without analysis is not the PMI approach.
✗
Suggest the stakeholder request the change in a follow-up project
Why it's wrong here
The change should be evaluated in the current project first.
✗
Implement the change since it adds value and the project has contingency
Why it's wrong here
Even if value is added, the change must go through formal control.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Ask the stakeholder to submit a formal change request for evaluation — Option D is correct because the PM must follow the change control process. Option A is wrong because it bypasses change control. Option B is wrong because it ignores the potential value. Option C is wrong because it does not follow proper process.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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