The answer is to inform the sponsor of the cost and schedule variances and present a recovery plan. This is correct because a CPI of 0.85 and an SPI of 0.90 indicate the project is both over budget (cost variance) and behind schedule (schedule variance), requiring transparent communication and proactive corrective action per PMI’s stakeholder management principles. On the PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of earned value management (EVM) reporting and the ethical duty to deliver bad news with a solution, not just data. A common trap is choosing to simply “recalculate the indices” or “wait for the next status meeting,” which violates PMI’s emphasis on immediate, honest updates to the sponsor. For your CPI SPI status update to the sponsor, always pair variance data with a recovery plan to demonstrate control. Memory tip: “Bad news plus a plan earns sponsor trust—never report a problem without a path forward.”
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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's CPI is 0.85 and SPI is 0.90 at the midpoint. The project sponsor asks for a status update. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Inform the sponsor of the cost and schedule variances and present a recovery plan
PMI emphasizes clear communication of project status to stakeholders, including variances and corrective actions.
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.
✗
Implement cost reduction measures without informing the sponsor
Why it's wrong here
Stakeholders should be informed of significant variances and corrective actions.
✗
Report that the project is on track and the variances are temporary
Why it's wrong here
Misleading stakeholders is unethical; the variances indicate problems.
✓
Inform the sponsor of the cost and schedule variances and present a recovery plan
Why this is correct
Transparent communication with stakeholders is key; present the situation and proposed actions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Request additional budget to cover the cost overrun without changing scope
Why it's wrong here
This may be part of a recovery plan, but the first step is to communicate the current status.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Inform the sponsor of the cost and schedule variances and present a recovery plan — PMI emphasizes clear communication of project status to stakeholders, including variances and corrective actions.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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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