PMP · Question #1033
Product implementation portions of a project are nearing completion. The project manager schedules a series of meetings to meet with the marketing management team. During the meeting, the marketing…
The correct answer is D. Consult the resource management plan and escalate to the sponsor. Faced with critical resource unavailability from another department, the project manager should first refer to the established resource management plan and then escalate the significant risk to the project sponsor.
Question
Product implementation portions of a project are nearing completion. The project manager schedules a series of meetings to meet with the marketing management team. During the meeting, the marketing manager tells the project manager that some key members of the department will not be available to work on the implementation for the next 3 months. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AShift those key members and assign them to another project.
- BCancel the meeting series until the marketing team provides a solution.
- CConsult the project team and discuss the key team members' availability.
- DConsult the resource management plan and escalate to the sponsor.
How the community answered
(57 responses)- A2% (1)
- B12% (7)
- C5% (3)
- D81% (46)
Why each option
Faced with critical resource unavailability from another department, the project manager should first refer to the established resource management plan and then escalate the significant risk to the project sponsor.
Shifting key members to another project is not within the project manager's authority if those members are essential for the current project's implementation.
Cancelling meetings without a plan to address the resource issue is a passive approach that does not resolve the problem and delays necessary action.
Consulting the project team might offer some internal perspective, but the core issue of external resource unavailability for a prolonged period requires a more strategic response involving formal plans and higher authority.
The resource management plan outlines how project resources will be acquired, managed, and released, including procedures for handling resource conflicts or unavailability. When key resources become unavailable, especially for a significant period, it represents a major project risk that requires escalation to the project sponsor for guidance, support, or decision-making regarding potential impacts and mitigation strategies.
Concept tested: Resource management and issue escalation
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/manage-project-resources-process
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Fatima Z.Feb 22, 2026D is the answer here. Remember my little hook for resource headaches: RPES, for Resource management Plan, then Escalate to Sponsor. When key people vanish for months, you do not just reshuffle or pause meetings, you check the plan and escalate.
Toby R.Feb 23, 2026Sat this last month and D is right, but just flag that the real wording on my exam said unavailable, not vanished, so dont let that throw you off the RPES hook.
Carlos M.Mar 22, 2026D is right. Why escalate to sponsor instead of negotiating directly with marketing?
Toby R.Mar 22, 2026Sponsor escalation is the answer when the conflict is over competing project objectives or priorities, not just resource haggling, so if marketing is blocking a critical path decision, direct negotiation already failed.
Toby R.Feb 27, 2026D is correct, confirmed on my exam last month. When key resources disappear you check the resource management plan first and then escalate to the sponsor, since the PM rarely has authority over functional managers in a matrix setup.
Luis F.Mar 11, 2026D for sure. C is tempting but resource conflicts go to the plan and sponsor.
Fatima Z.Mar 13, 2026Cosign on D, and remember my little hook for resource kerfuffles: SROP, Sponsor Resolves Ownership Problems, because the sponsor owns the purse strings and the plan just tracks who spends them.