PMP People — Leading Projects Practice Question
Your project is in the execution phase when a new regulation is passed that affects the project's deliverables. The team is already working at full capacity. What should the project manager do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
PMI often tests the misconception that you should immediately update the risk register or stop work when a new regulation appears, but the correct first step is always to analyze the impact before taking any action.
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 of the regulation on scope, schedule, and cost.
D is correct because the PMBOK Guide requires the project manager to first analyze the impact of a change on the triple constraint (scope, schedule, cost) before taking any action. Since the team is at full capacity, immediate incorporation (A) or stopping work (B) would be premature without understanding the regulation's effect. Updating the risk register (C) without analysis skips the necessary impact assessment 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.
- ✗
Instruct the team to incorporate the regulation into current work immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Instructing the team to immediately incorporate a new regulation bypasses the critical Integrated Change Control process. Implementing changes without formal assessment and approval can lead to unauthorized scope creep, rework, budget overruns, and schedule delays, ultimately jeopardizing project baselines and objectives. A structured approach is essential to maintain control and ensure alignment with project governance.
- ✗
Stop all work until the regulation is fully understood.
Why it's wrong here
Stopping all project work until a new regulation is fully understood is an extreme and often unnecessary measure that can incur significant costs and delays. This approach lacks a measured assessment of the regulation's actual impact and may halt unaffected work streams. A more prudent initial step involves analyzing the potential impact to determine the necessary adjustments without causing undue disruption.
- ✗
Update the risk register and continue as planned.
Why it's wrong here
Simply updating the risk register and continuing as planned is insufficient because a new regulation is a definite requirement or constraint, not merely an uncertain event or potential threat. Regulations mandate compliance and often necessitate specific actions or modifications to project scope, processes, or deliverables. Treating it only as a risk fails to acknowledge its mandatory nature and the immediate need for impact assessment and potential action.
- ✓
Analyze the impact of the regulation on scope, schedule, and cost.
Why this is correct
Analyzing the impact of the regulation on scope, schedule, and cost is the most appropriate first step. This systematic assessment provides the necessary data to understand the magnitude and nature of the required changes, enabling informed decision-making. This analysis forms the basis for developing a formal change request, which can then be submitted through the Integrated Change Control process for review and approval, ensuring all project aspects are considered.
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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.