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.
Your project is running 15% over budget at the midpoint. The sponsor asks you to reduce costs by cutting the testing phase from three weeks to one week. 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 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 reduce testing and analyze the impact on quality and risks
Option C is correct because the PMBOK Guide requires that any change to the project baseline, including scope, schedule, or budget, must follow the formal integrated change control process. The first step is to submit a change request to analyze the impact on quality, risks, and other constraints before making a decision. This ensures that the sponsor and stakeholders understand the trade-offs, such as increased defect risk or rework costs, before approving the reduction.
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.
✗
Agree to reduce testing, as the sponsor has authority over the budget
Why it's wrong here
Even sponsors must follow the change control process for changes affecting the project.
✗
Refuse the request, stating that testing is essential for quality
Why it's wrong here
Refusing without analysis is not collaborative; the PM should assess the impact and present options.
✓
Submit a change request to reduce testing and analyze the impact on quality and risks
Why this is correct
This follows the formal change control process, evaluating impacts before making a decision.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Implement the reduction immediately to save costs, then document it later
Why it's wrong here
Implementing changes without approval violates project governance and change control.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
PMI often tests the misconception that the sponsor's authority allows direct changes without formal process, or that the project manager should immediately reject changes without analysis, when the correct first step is always to submit a change request and analyze the impact.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In the context of the PMP exam, the change control process is governed by the Perform Integrated Change Control process (PMBOK Guide 6th Edition, Section 4.6). A change request must be documented and assessed for impacts on the triple constraint (scope, schedule, cost) and quality, often using tools like a cost-benefit analysis or risk assessment matrix. In real-world projects, cutting testing from three weeks to one week typically increases the probability of undetected defects, which can lead to higher cost of quality (COQ) due to rework or warranty claims, a trade-off that must be formally evaluated and approved by the change control board (CCB).
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
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: Submit a change request to reduce testing and analyze the impact on quality and risks — Option C is correct because the PMBOK Guide requires that any change to the project baseline, including scope, schedule, or budget, must follow the formal integrated change control process. The first step is to submit a change request to analyze the impact on quality, risks, and other constraints before making a decision. This ensures that the sponsor and stakeholders understand the trade-offs, such as increased defect risk or rework costs, before approving the reduction.
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.
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Question Discussion
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