PMP · Question #395
During the execution of a project within an operations function, the project manager encounters scope changes and a delay in the delivery of critical tasks. How should the project manager address…
The correct answer is D. Conduct an impact analysis and present the results to the steering committee for approval. When encountering scope changes and critical task delays during project execution, the project manager must first conduct an impact analysis and then present the results to the steering committee for formal approval.
Question
Options
- ACommunicate the concerns to the project management office (PMO) during the weekly project
- BCall for a team meeting to decide if the changes should be included
- CInitiate the change request to modify the scope and adjust the timelines
- DConduct an impact analysis and present the results to the steering committee for approval
How the community answered
(50 responses)- A4% (2)
- B16% (8)
- C6% (3)
- D74% (37)
Why each option
When encountering scope changes and critical task delays during project execution, the project manager must first conduct an impact analysis and then present the results to the steering committee for formal approval.
Communicating concerns to the PMO is part of monitoring, but it's not the first action to address scope changes and delays; the PM needs to quantify the impact first.
While team input is valuable, the decision to include scope changes and adjust timelines typically requires formal approval from stakeholders or a change control board, not solely a team decision, especially for critical tasks.
Initiating a change request is a step in the change process, but it should occur after the impact analysis is performed and before it's submitted for approval, ensuring the request is well-informed.
When scope changes and delays occur, the project manager must conduct an impact analysis to understand the effects on cost, schedule, quality, and resources. Presenting these results to the steering committee or change control board allows informed decision-making and formal approval, ensuring proper governance and alignment with project objectives.
Concept tested: Change control process and impact analysis
Source: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/perform-integrated-change-control-pmbok-6473
Topics
Community Discussion
8
Mei-Ling H.Dec 8, 2025D is correct because any scope change requires an impact analysis before anything else happens. The word "changes" in the stem is the key qualifier here, you cannot just initiate a change request in option C without first evaluating the full effect on schedule, cost, and resources. Option B sounds collaborative but a team meeting alone does not provide the structured assessment needed, and the steering committee in D is the proper authority to approve scope adjustments. I confirmed this exact logic on my exam last month, so always look for the impact analysis step first when changes and delays show up together.
Orla P.Dec 3, 2025D is the move here because you never touch scope or timelines without doing an impact analysis first, and the steering committee is the right approval body. C is tempting since it sounds proactive, but initiating the change request before you have analyzed the impact is putting the cart before the horse.
Toby R.Dec 3, 2025Agreed on D, and the other thing that trips people up is that A and B both sound reasonable but they skip the documented change process entirely, which the exam always treats as wrong.
Toby R.Dec 12, 2025Confirmed D on my exam last month. The key is that scope changes and delays always require an impact analysis before anything goes to a steering committee or change control board for approval.
Orla P.Dec 12, 2025Agreed on D, and worth adding that the impact analysis itself needs to be documented and circulated before the steering committee meets, not just done verbally on the fly.
Yusuf A.Nov 21, 2025I first leaned toward C because scope changes plus delays felt like an obvious change request situation, but one of the senior PMs here pointed out that you never submit a change request without first understanding the full impact, so D is the process step that has to come first.
Carlos M.Nov 25, 2025Leaned toward C but scope changes plus delays mean do impact analysis first, then D.
Mei-Ling H.Nov 27, 2025Agree on D as the formal answer but watch the qualifier, if the word requested appears in the stem it can flip you back to C because requested scope changes sometimes bypass the full impact analysis step.