PMP · Question #1056
During project execution, one of the project tasks is to create an important document for a service vendor. The project manager assigns a senior engineer to clearly detail the service instructions to
The correct answer is B. Discuss the issue with the engineer and determine how to prevent another problem.. When a task results in a redo loop and potential delay due to unclear instructions, the project manager should discuss the issue with the assigned engineer to understand the cause and prevent recurrence.
Question
During project execution, one of the project tasks is to create an important document for a service vendor. The project manager assigns a senior engineer to clearly detail the service instructions to avoid any redo loops. Two days after the service information document was sent, the service vendor has doubts and needs more clarity on the task. This redo loop will probably cause a delay of one or more days. What should the project manager do next?
Options
- AAssign another engineer to the task due to the urgency.
- BDiscuss the issue with the engineer and determine how to prevent another problem.
- CDocument the task on the kanban board and make it the highest priority.
- DEscalate the issue to the engineer's functional manager.
How the community answered
(51 responses)- A6% (3)
- B75% (38)
- C16% (8)
- D4% (2)
Why each option
When a task results in a redo loop and potential delay due to unclear instructions, the project manager should discuss the issue with the assigned engineer to understand the cause and prevent recurrence.
Assigning another engineer immediately without understanding the problem's cause doesn't solve the underlying issue and might lead to similar problems with a new resource, while also potentially undermining the original engineer.
Discussing the issue directly with the engineer allows the project manager to identify the root cause of the lack of clarity, provide constructive feedback, and collaborate on a solution to prevent similar problems in the future, fostering learning and improvement.
Documenting on a kanban board and prioritizing it addresses tracking and urgency but does not proactively solve the communication or clarity issue that led to the redo loop in the first place.
Escalating the issue to the functional manager prematurely bypasses direct problem-solving with the team member and can be demotivating, escalating the situation before attempting a direct resolution.
Concept tested: Problem-solving and continuous improvement
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/project-quality-management/control-quality
Topics
Community Discussion
3
Carlos M.Mar 10, 2026B is the answer here. The vendor came back with questions so the PM needs to sit down with the engineer, figure out where the communication broke down, and make sure the revised document is clear enough to prevent another redo loop. A and D jump to blaming or swapping people without fixing the root cause, which wastes time. C just tracks the work but does nothing to solve the actual clarity problem.
Zlatan X.Mar 20, 2026I first leaned toward C because putting it at the top of the kanban board sounds responsive, but that is single-project task juggling that ignores the vendor dependency. The real governance play is B because you need the engineer to own the knowledge transfer gap and close it before the vendor burns more cycle time. If you do not debrief the root cause with the engineer now, you risk cascading rework across downstream service components and blowing the benefits window. PMI rewards the manager who coaches the resource to prevent the next failure loop, not the one who just shuffles tickets.
Wei W.Mar 14, 2026I first leaned toward A because the urgency makes you want to just throw another body at it, but the agile mindset here is empiricism over heroics. B is correct because the point is to inspect the misunderstanding with the engineer and adapt the process so this does not happen again, which is how a self-organizing team actually improves.