- A
Direct the team to immediately implement the changes required by the regulation to avoid shutdown
Why wrong: Implementing changes without going through change control bypasses governance, even in urgent situations.
- B
Inform the sponsor that the project will need to be cancelled due to the new regulation
Why wrong: The PM should first explore options to comply before recommending cancellation.
- C
Ignore the regulation and continue as planned because it is not yet enforced
Why wrong: Ignoring a mandatory regulation could lead to severe consequences. The PM must act proactively.
- D
Analyze the impact on the project and submit a change request to incorporate the new requirements
Following the change control process is mandatory. The PM must assess and document the impact.
Quick Answer
The correct first step is to analyze the impact on the project and submit a change request to incorporate the new requirements. This is because the PMBOK Guide’s change control process mandates that any alteration to the project baseline—including mandatory government regulations—must be formally evaluated for effects on scope, schedule, and budget before implementation, even under urgent deadlines. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Perform Integrated Change Control process, where the trap is to jump directly to implementing the change or escalating without analysis; the key is that compliance urgency does not bypass the change request workflow. When handling new government regulation during project execution, remember that “analyze first, then request” prevents scope creep and ensures stakeholder alignment. Memory tip: “Regs before reps”—always assess the regulation’s impact before representing the change to the change control board.
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 the project manager on a large infrastructure project. During execution, a new government regulation is announced that will affect your project's compliance requirements. The change is mandatory and must be implemented within 60 days, or the project will be shut down. 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
Analyze the impact on the project and submit a change request to incorporate the new requirements
Option D is correct because the first step when a mandatory regulation arises is to analyze its impact on the project's scope, schedule, and budget, then submit a formal change request to integrate the new requirements. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's change control process, ensuring the change is evaluated and approved before implementation, even under urgent compliance deadlines.
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.
- ✗
Direct the team to immediately implement the changes required by the regulation to avoid shutdown
Why it's wrong here
Implementing changes without going through change control bypasses governance, even in urgent situations.
- ✗
Inform the sponsor that the project will need to be cancelled due to the new regulation
Why it's wrong here
The PM should first explore options to comply before recommending cancellation.
- ✗
Ignore the regulation and continue as planned because it is not yet enforced
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring a mandatory regulation could lead to severe consequences. The PM must act proactively.
- ✓
Analyze the impact on the project and submit a change request to incorporate the new requirements
Why this is correct
Following the change control process is mandatory. The PM must assess and document the impact.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume urgent mandatory changes justify skipping the change control process, but PMP best practices require impact analysis and a formal change request before any implementation, even under tight deadlines.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Implementing changes without going through change control bypasses governance, even in urgent situations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In project management, a change request is a formal proposal to modify a baseline (scope, schedule, cost). Even urgent regulatory changes must follow the Perform Integrated Change Control process, which includes impact analysis, approval, and updating the project management plan. A real-world scenario is a data privacy law (e.g., GDPR) requiring immediate compliance; the PM must assess the cost and schedule impact before implementing changes to avoid scope creep and ensure stakeholder alignment.
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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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: Analyze the impact on the project and submit a change request to incorporate the new requirements — Option D is correct because the first step when a mandatory regulation arises is to analyze its impact on the project's scope, schedule, and budget, then submit a formal change request to integrate the new requirements. This aligns with the PMBOK Guide's change control process, ensuring the change is evaluated and approved before implementation, even under urgent compliance deadlines.
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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