PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a project to build a new office building. During excavation, the team discovers an unexpected archaeological site. This is a risk that was identified in the risk register with a low probability and high impact. The mitigation plan was to contact local authorities. What should you do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers think they need to escalate to the sponsor for a decision (Option A) because the risk has high impact, but the PMP exam expects you to follow the existing risk response plan first before escalating.
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
✓
Stop work immediately and contact the local authorities as per the risk response plan
The risk was identified and a mitigation plan was defined in the risk register. The first action when a risk occurs is to execute the planned response, which in this case is to stop work and contact local authorities. This aligns with the PMBOK® Guide's guidance on implementing risk responses immediately when a risk trigger is observed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for a decision
Why it's wrong here
When a known risk materializes into an issue, the project manager's primary responsibility is to implement the pre-defined risk response plan. Escalating to the project sponsor for a decision is premature and inappropriate if the risk response plan already specifies the actions to be taken. The PM should execute the planned response first, then inform relevant stakeholders, including the sponsor, about the issue and the actions taken, rather than seeking a new decision.
- ✗
Direct the team to continue work and cover the site to avoid delays
Why it's wrong here
Directing the team to continue work and attempt to conceal a significant issue, such as discovering human remains, is a severe breach of ethical conduct and legal obligations. This action would not only violate regulatory requirements and potentially lead to criminal charges but also severely damage the project's reputation and stakeholder trust. Project managers must prioritize safety, legality, and ethical standards over schedule adherence.
- ✗
Update the risk register and mark the risk as closed
Why it's wrong here
When a risk event, such as discovering human remains, actually occurs, it ceases to be a potential future event and transforms into an actual issue. Therefore, the correct procedure is to update the risk register by marking the specific risk as "occurred" or "triggered" and then formally log it in the issue log for tracking and resolution. Marking the risk as "closed" without proper issue management is incorrect and misrepresents the project status.
- ✓
Stop work immediately and contact the local authorities as per the risk response plan
Why this is correct
The discovery of human remains represents a critical and highly sensitive issue with significant legal, ethical, and safety implications. The project manager's immediate and correct action is to halt all work in the affected area to prevent further disturbance and ensure safety. Subsequently, contacting local authorities as stipulated in the project's risk response plan or emergency procedures is paramount to comply with legal requirements and facilitate proper investigation.
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JA
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.