PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
You are managing a project to develop a mobile app. During the testing phase, a critical defect is found that could cause data loss. The team estimates it will take one week to fix, but the project is already two weeks behind schedule. What is the BEST course of action?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often choose Option D (fix immediately) because they think it's the fastest way to resolve a critical defect, but the PMP exam emphasizes that all changes must go through the formal change control process to maintain control over the project baseline and avoid unauthorized scope creep.
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 fix the defect, assessing the impact on schedule and cost, and obtain approval
It follows the formal change control process required by the PMBOK Guide. When a critical defect is discovered that impacts the project's schedule and cost, the project manager must submit a change request to assess the impact on the triple constraint (time, cost, scope) and obtain formal approval from the change control board (CCB) before implementing the fix. This ensures that the decision is documented, risks are evaluated, and stakeholders are aligned, preventing unauthorized scope creep or schedule changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Release the app as scheduled and patch the defect later to avoid further delays
Why it's wrong here
Releasing an application with a known critical defect, especially one that could lead to data loss, is a severe breach of quality standards and ethical project management. This approach prioritizes schedule over product integrity and user trust, potentially causing significant reputational damage, legal liabilities, and substantial costs for future fixes and customer remediation. Such a decision directly contradicts the project manager's responsibility to deliver a product fit for purpose and acceptable quality.
- ✓
Submit a change request to fix the defect, assessing the impact on schedule and cost, and obtain approval
Why this is correct
This is the correct project management approach, as it adheres to the Integrated Change Control process. Submitting a formal change request ensures that the critical defect is properly documented, its impact on the project's baselines (scope, schedule, cost, quality) is thoroughly assessed, and all relevant stakeholders, including the Change Control Board (CCB), can make an informed decision. Obtaining formal approval before proceeding with the fix maintains project governance and prevents unauthorized scope creep or schedule deviations.
- ✗
Escalate to the sponsor and ask for a decision on whether to fix or release
Why it's wrong here
While stakeholder communication is crucial, simply escalating a critical issue to the sponsor without conducting a thorough impact analysis and providing a recommended course of action is not proactive project management. A project manager is expected to analyze problems, evaluate potential solutions, quantify their implications on project objectives, and present an informed recommendation to decision-makers. This approach shifts the analytical burden entirely to the sponsor, which is inefficient and demonstrates a lack of leadership.
- ✗
Fix the defect immediately and update the schedule without formal approval
Why it's wrong here
Fixing a critical defect immediately and unilaterally updating the schedule without formal approval bypasses the established Integrated Change Control process. This action, while seemingly efficient, can lead to uncontrolled changes in project baselines, potentially introducing new risks, misaligning stakeholder expectations, and creating an undocumented project history. All significant changes, especially those impacting schedule and cost, require formal evaluation and approval to maintain project governance and control.
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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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.