PMP · Question #248
A project development team is located in different areas around the world. Last week, a very important release was delayed because one of the developers did not respond on time to an email that was se
The correct answer is D. Review the communications management plan.. A delayed release due to a distributed team member missing a critical email indicates a breakdown in communication, necessitating a review of the project's communications management plan to improve information flow.
Question
A project development team is located in different areas around the world. Last week, a very important release was delayed because one of the developers did not respond on time to an email that was sent to everyone. The developer seems to have missed reading the email. What should the project manager do to avoid these situations?
Options
- AReview the stakeholder engagement plan.
- BReview the resource management plan.
- CReview the risk management plan.
- DReview the communications management plan.
How the community answered
(47 responses)- A9% (4)
- B4% (2)
- C17% (8)
- D70% (33)
Why each option
A delayed release due to a distributed team member missing a critical email indicates a breakdown in communication, necessitating a review of the project's communications management plan to improve information flow.
The Stakeholder Engagement Plan focuses on how to involve and manage stakeholders, not the specific methods for internal team communication of critical updates.
The Resource Management Plan addresses acquiring, developing, and managing team members, but not the specific communication protocols for critical information.
While communication issues are a risk, the direct corrective action for a specific communication failure is to adjust the plan that governs communication itself, not just the general risk plan.
The Communications Management Plan defines how, when, and by whom project information will be communicated. A missed email leading to a delayed release specifically points to a breakdown or inefficiency in the established communication channels or methods for a distributed team. Reviewing this plan will help identify gaps and implement more effective communication strategies (e.g., using different tools, confirming receipt, establishing notification protocols).
Concept tested: Communications management, distributed team communication
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Ingrid P.Jul 5, 2026D is correct. The missed email is a communications failure, so the PM reviews the communications management plan to fix how information is distributed and acknowledged across the dispersed team. This one deserves a flashcard: missed message or no response on a global team equals communications management plan, not resource management.
Bao N.Jul 7, 2026Agreed on D but worth noting the real exam sometimes twists this by adding that the team member lacked training or was overwhelmed, which pushes it toward resource management plan, so watch for that qualifier before locking in D.
Viktor S.Jul 5, 2026D is the right call, saw this on my exam last month and the missed email signal jumped right out at me. The communications management plan covers who gets what info and how, so a developer missing a broadcast message points straight there.
Carlos M.Jul 4, 2026D is the answer here. The communications management plan defines how information gets distributed, who receives what, and through which channels. A developer missing a group email points to a breakdown in how project communications are supposed to flow across a distributed team, not a resource or stakeholder issue. Anyone know if the PMP exam tends to treat email as a push communication versus interactive for these scenarios? That distinction seems to matter for choosing between reviewing the plan versus changing tools entirely.
Bao N.Jul 5, 2026D is the right pick here. The issue is that a developer missed an email sent to everyone, which points directly to a flaw in how information is distributed and consumed, so you review the communications management plan to fix the channels and methods. A is a tempting distractor because people see a team member not engaging and jump to stakeholders, but this is an operational communication failure, not a stakeholder engagement problem. I would watch the wording on this one because if the stem said the developer was actively refusing to participate, A would become a lot more plausible.
Ingrid P.Jul 8, 2026Agreed on D, and good catch on the refusing-to-participate distinction, but one flashcard angle worth drilling: the communications management plan is a subsidiary of the overall project management plan, so if a distractor says review the project management plan, that is technically correct but too broad to be the best answer.
Toby R.Jul 5, 2026D is correct. Does the comms plan ever specify response time expectations?
Viktor S.Jul 6, 2026D is right, and to your question, the comms plan covers who gets told what and how, but response time expectations typically live in the SLA, so dont conflate the two or youll miss that distinction on a related question.