PMP · Question #1331
A project manager is managing a project which is approaching the end of the execution phase. A high-level stakeholder informs the project manager that a very important requirement was not included in
The correct answer is D. Evaluate the impact that the inclusion of this new requirement will have on project performance.. When a high-level stakeholder requests a critical new requirement late in the execution phase, the project manager's first action must be to assess its impact on the project.
Question
A project manager is managing a project which is approaching the end of the execution phase. A high-level stakeholder informs the project manager that a very important requirement was not included in the scope of the project, and that without that requirement the project will deliver no value. What is the first thing the project manager should do?
Options
- AInform the stakeholder that it is impossible to add new requirements to an approved project
- BInclude the requirement into the project and schedule it as soon as possible.
- CInform the project sponsor about the situation and request assistance.
- DEvaluate the impact that the inclusion of this new requirement will have on project performance.
How the community answered
(49 responses)- A14% (7)
- B8% (4)
- C4% (2)
- D73% (36)
Why each option
When a high-level stakeholder requests a critical new requirement late in the execution phase, the project manager's first action must be to assess its impact on the project.
Stating that it's impossible to add new requirements without evaluation is premature and dismissive, especially when the stakeholder claims it's essential for project value.
Including the requirement immediately without prior impact assessment is a significant risk that could destabilize the project's baselines and objectives.
Informing the project sponsor is appropriate, but it should occur after the project manager has conducted an initial impact assessment to provide the sponsor with necessary information to make an informed decision.
The first thing a project manager should do when a new requirement, especially a critical one, is introduced is to evaluate its potential impact. This involves assessing how the inclusion of this requirement would affect the project's scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, and risks before any decision can be made or communicated.
Concept tested: Change request impact assessment
Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/project-management/change-management-project-plan
Topics
Community Discussion
5
Hiroshi T.Jun 29, 2026D. Per the PMBOK Guide, any change request must go through the Perform Integrated Change Control process, which means analyzing the impact on scope, schedule, cost, and quality before any decision is made.
Fatima Z.Jul 5, 2026D is the call here, and I remember this one cold from my exam prep. Think DOIE for missed requirements: Do impact analysis first, then Options, then Implement, then Engage sponsor, so you never skip straight to adding scope or escalating without data.
Grace U.Jul 5, 2026D is the right call here, and I know how tempting it is to jump straight to involving the sponsor or just squeezing the requirement in. The PMI mindset is always about assessing impact first before taking action, so you need to understand how this change affects schedule, cost, and quality before deciding how to proceed. Think of it as gathering the data you need to have an informed conversation with the stakeholder or sponsor about next steps. Does anyone know if there is a specific threshold where you would skip the impact analysis and go directly to the sponsor, or is evaluation always the first step regardless of the
Prof. SaraJul 6, 2026Agreed on D, and to answer your question, evaluation is always the first step regardless of the change size, because even a tiny tweak can have hidden downstream effects on scope baselines, which is exactly why the PMBOK frames change control as an analytical process rather than an approval workflow.
Prof. SaraJul 5, 2026D is correct because any change request, even one introduced late in execution, must go through the Integrated Change Control process outlined in Domain 3 of the PMP exam blueprint. Before you can add the requirement or escalate to the sponsor, you have to quantify the impact on the schedule, cost, and quality baselines. I always use the mnemonic ICE for change requests: Impact, Communicate, Execute. Since you can't properly communicate the tradeoffs without knowing the numbers, the impact analysis must happen first. When evaluating this impact, do you typically reach for a variance analysis or a what-if scenario