PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
Your project is being executed, and a risk event occurs that was identified and planned for. Which THREE actions should you take?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the actions for a planned risk occurrence with those for an unplanned risk or issue, leading them to select unnecessary steps like conducting a new risk assessment or adding the risk to a watch list instead of focusing on execution, documentation, and communication.
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
✓
Implement the risk response plan that was developed for this risk
When a planned risk event occurs, the immediate action is to implement the risk response plan that was specifically developed for that risk. This ensures the predefined mitigation or contingency strategy is executed promptly to minimize impact. The risk register must then be updated to document the occurrence and the response taken, providing an accurate historical record for future risk analysis. Finally, communicating the risk occurrence and response to stakeholders as per the communication plan maintains transparency and supports informed decision-making.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement the risk response plan that was developed for this risk
Why this is correct
When a pre-identified risk event occurs, the project team's primary and immediate action is to execute the specific risk response plan that was previously developed and approved for that particular risk. This proactive implementation ensures that the project can mitigate the impact, exploit an opportunity, or otherwise manage the event according to the strategies defined during the Plan Risk Responses process, minimizing disruption and adhering to the project management plan.
- ✓
Update the risk register to document the risk occurrence and the response taken
Why this is correct
Following the implementation of the risk response, it is imperative to update the risk register. This update documents the actual occurrence of the risk event, the specific response actions taken, their effectiveness, and the resulting status of the risk (e.g., closed, mitigated, new secondary risks). Maintaining an accurate risk register provides a historical record, supports ongoing risk monitoring, and contributes valuable lessons learned for future projects.
- ✗
Conduct a new risk assessment to identify new risks
Why it's wrong here
While periodic risk reassessments are a vital part of the Monitor Risks process to identify new risks or re-evaluate existing ones, conducting a full new assessment is not the immediate or primary action when a known risk event has just occurred. The immediate priority is to implement the pre-planned response for that specific risk; a comprehensive reassessment would typically follow or be part of a scheduled review, not an instantaneous reaction to a single materialized risk.
- ✗
Add the risk to the watch list for monitoring
Why it's wrong here
Adding a risk to the watch list is inappropriate once the risk event has actually occurred. The watch list is specifically for low-priority risks or those requiring further analysis, which are being monitored but do not warrant immediate response planning. Once a risk materializes, it transitions from a potential event to an actual issue, requiring active management and response implementation, followed by status updates in the risk register, not passive monitoring on a watch list.
- ✓
Communicate the risk occurrence and response to stakeholders as per the communication plan
Why this is correct
Timely and transparent communication with relevant stakeholders is a critical step after a risk event occurs and its response is initiated. This involves informing them about the risk's materialization, the actions being taken, and any potential impacts on project objectives, all in accordance with the established communication management plan. Effective communication manages expectations, maintains stakeholder confidence, and ensures alignment on the project's status and path forward.
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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.