A business analyst (BA) is planning for an upcoming solution based on a signed contract with a client but has learned that one of the key subject matter experts is unavailable during the first half of

Changing the solution scope to remove the SME's component requires a contract amendment and eliminates agreed deliverables, which may not be acceptable to the client.

Reducing the schedule to coincide with the SME's availability means deferring the relevant analysis activities until the second half of the phase when the SME is present, then compressing those activities to still meet the firm deadline. This preserves the integrity of the requirements work by ensuring the right expert is involved without violating the contract or removing components. It is the most realistic option given the constraints of no substitutes and a fixed deadline.

Documenting the contract terms as a risk and adjusting costs does not resolve the scheduling conflict and leaves the BA phase without a critical resource during a defined period.

Recommending an adaptive approach alone does not solve the constraint because the SME is still unavailable for the first half regardless of methodology, and the firm deadline remains unchanged.