PMP Practice Question: Business Environment: strategy and project benefits
Your project is being audited for compliance with a new data protection regulation. The audit reveals several non-compliance issues. Which TWO actions should you take FIRST?
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 to understand why non-compliance occurred
The first actions should be to understand why non-compliance occurred and then plan how to fix it. Option A (root cause analysis) is correct because it helps prevent recurrence by addressing underlying causes. Option E (remediation plan) is correct because it outlines specific steps to resolve the issues. Option B is wrong because ignoring the report is unacceptable and could lead to further violations. Option C is wrong while escalation may be needed later, the project manager should first analyze the situation and propose a plan. Option D is wrong because reassigning the team does not address the non-compliance and is not a first step.
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 to understand why non-compliance occurred
Why this is correct
A root cause analysis (RCA) is a critical quality management tool used to identify the fundamental reasons behind a problem, rather than just addressing its symptoms. In the context of an audit finding, performing an RCA allows the project manager to precisely determine the underlying process failures, policy misinterpretations, or training gaps that led to the data non-compliance. This deep understanding is essential for developing truly effective corrective actions that prevent recurrence and ensure sustained compliance, aligning with the PMP's emphasis on proactive problem-solving.
- ✗
Ignore the audit report until the project is complete
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring an audit report is a severe breach of project governance and professional responsibility, directly contravening the PMP Code of Ethics. Non-compliance, especially concerning data, can carry significant legal, financial, and reputational risks for the organization and the project. Promptly addressing audit findings is mandatory to mitigate potential penalties, maintain stakeholder trust, and ensure the project adheres to all regulatory and organizational standards throughout its lifecycle, rather than deferring critical issues.
- ✗
Escalate the audit findings to executive management immediately
Why it's wrong here
While executive management must ultimately be informed of significant compliance issues, immediate escalation without prior analysis and a proposed course of action is premature and demonstrates a lack of project management leadership. The project manager's role is to first analyze the findings, conduct a root cause analysis, and formulate a preliminary remediation plan. Presenting problems with potential solutions or a clear action plan to executive management is a more professional and effective approach, allowing them to make informed decisions rather than simply reacting to an unanalyzed issue.
- ✗
Reassign the project team to different tasks to avoid further issues
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning the project team is a superficial and ineffective response that fails to address the core problem of non-compliance. This action merely shifts personnel without resolving the underlying systemic or process deficiencies that caused the issue, potentially allowing the same problems to manifest in other areas or with different teams. A responsible project manager focuses on identifying and correcting the root causes of non-compliance, ensuring that the project's processes and outputs meet required standards, rather than avoiding the problem by reallocating resources.
- ✓
Develop a remediation plan to address the non-compliance issues
Why this is correct
Developing a comprehensive remediation plan is a crucial step following the identification and analysis of non-compliance issues, ideally after a root cause analysis. This plan outlines specific, actionable steps, assigned responsibilities, timelines, and required resources to correct the identified deficiencies and bring the project back into compliance. A well-structured remediation plan ensures that corrective actions are systematically implemented, monitored for effectiveness, and validated, thereby demonstrating due diligence and commitment to meeting regulatory and organizational standards.
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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.