PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
Your project is using a predictive approach. A team member reports that a key deliverable is behind schedule due to an unexpected technical issue. What should the project manager do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to a 'fix' like overtime or escalation without first performing the required analysis of impact and options, confusing a reactive action with the correct first step of assessment.
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 issue, determine the impact on the critical path, and evaluate options such as fast-tracking or adding resources
In a predictive (waterfall) project, the project manager must first analyze the situation to understand the root cause and impact before taking corrective action. Option B follows the PMBOK Guide's recommended sequence: assess the issue, determine its effect on the critical path, and then evaluate schedule compression techniques like fast-tracking (performing activities in parallel) or crashing (adding resources). This ensures decisions are data-driven and minimize disruption to the project baseline.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ask the team member to work overtime to catch up
Why it's wrong here
Asking a team member to work overtime is a reactive, short-term fix that fails to address the underlying cause of the delay in a predictive project. This approach risks team burnout, decreases morale, and does not align with proactive project management principles focused on root cause analysis and sustainable solutions. A project manager should first investigate the deviation before imposing additional workload.
- ✓
Analyze the issue, determine the impact on the critical path, and evaluate options such as fast-tracking or adding resources
Why this is correct
In a predictive project, the project manager's primary responsibility is to systematically analyze deviations from the baseline. This involves determining the precise impact on the project's critical path to understand schedule implications. Subsequently, the PM must evaluate strategic corrective actions, such as fast-tracking activities or crashing by adding resources, to bring the project back on track or minimize deviation, adhering to the change management process.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the sponsor for guidance
Why it's wrong here
Immediately escalating an issue to the sponsor for guidance without prior analysis or attempted resolution at the project level is premature and demonstrates a lack of proactive project management. The project manager is expected to manage and resolve issues within their delegated authority and scope. Escalation is typically reserved for significant risks or issues that exceed the PM's decision-making power or require strategic organizational intervention, after internal options have been exhausted.
- ✗
Update the project schedule with the new completion date
Why it's wrong here
Simply updating the project schedule with a new completion date without understanding the root cause of the delay or exploring mitigation options is a reactive and irresponsible action in a predictive project. This approach bypasses the essential monitoring and controlling processes, including performing integrated change control, and fails to address the deviation from the approved baseline. A project manager must first analyze the impact and evaluate corrective actions before considering a formal schedule update.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 800 original PMP practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.