PMP · Question #452
A project manager has two projects that are being executed at the same time. The duration of the critical project must be reduced, but the project manager does not have enough resources to achieve…
The correct answer is A. Analyze both projects to determine the most effective use of common resources. The project manager needs to reduce the critical project's duration but lacks resources and cannot fast-track. The best course of action is to re-evaluate resource allocation across both active projects to find efficiencies.
Question
A project manager has two projects that are being executed at the same time. The duration of the critical project must be reduced, but the project manager does not have enough resources to achieve this goal. In addition, the schedule does not have activities that can be overlapped. What should the project manager do?
Options
- AAnalyze both projects to determine the most effective use of common resources
- BUse resource optimization to justify requesting more resources for the critical project
- CProvide schedule optimization training to the project teams to improve their skills
- DApply fast-tracking techniques to compress the schedule of the critical project
How the community answered
(19 responses)- A58% (11)
- B5% (1)
- C11% (2)
- D26% (5)
Why each option
The project manager needs to reduce the critical project's duration but lacks resources and cannot fast-track. The best course of action is to re-evaluate resource allocation across both active projects to find efficiencies.
By analyzing both projects, the project manager can identify opportunities to reallocate existing resources from the less critical project to the critical one, or optimize their shared use, without needing to acquire new resources or change the schedule structure. This aligns with resource optimization techniques to make the best use of available organizational assets.
Requesting more resources is not the first step when resources are already constrained across two simultaneous projects; the priority should be optimizing existing ones.
Training improves skills but does not immediately address the current resource shortage or the inability to compress the schedule by overlapping activities.
The question explicitly states that the schedule does not have activities that can be overlapped, making fast-tracking an unsuitable technique in this scenario.
Concept tested: Resource optimization and allocation
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/resource-management
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Grace U.Jan 26, 2026The answer is A. When you cannot overlap activities, fast-tracking is off the table, so D is a trap that contradicts the scenario. B sounds reasonable at first glance, but resource optimization techniques like leveling and smoothing do not exist to justify asking for more headcount. Since you are juggling two simultaneous projects with a shared constraint, the logical next step is to look across both efforts to find where your existing resources can deliver the most value. It is completely normal to be tempted by B here because requesting more help feels like the instinctive fix.
Mateus R.Jan 21, 2026Think of it like having one pickup truck and two farms that both need hay hauled before the rain hits, you don't just buy a second truck on a wish, you first sit down and figure out where that single truck does the most good across both properties. Option A is that cross-farm planning step, formally called enterprise environmental factor analysis and resource leveling across the portfolio. Option D is a trap because the stem explicitly says you cannot overlap activities, which rules out fast-tracking. One thing that still nags me, if the critical project is truly critical, does the PM actually have the authority
Imani T.Jan 6, 2026Got A on my exam last March and the key was noticing the stem already ruled out fast-tracking by saying no activities can be overlapped, which kills D immediately. I almost jumped to B because requesting more resources sounded reasonable, but PMI wants you to analyze resource allocation across both projects first before asking for anything.
Mateus R.Jan 8, 2026Exactly right on D being dead on arrival, but the "analyze first" principle is really just PMI's version of measure twice cut once, they never want you reaching for the checkbook or the phone until you have mapped out who is sitting idle where.
Wesley A.Jan 17, 2026Failed this exact question on my first attempt. The trap is D, because the stem already tells you there are no activities that can be overlapped, which rules out fast-tracking entirely. A is correct because when you are resource-constrained across concurrent projects, you have to analyze both to figure out where shared resources can be reallocated most effectively.
Grace U.Jan 19, 2026Agreed on A, and I would add that the word "concurrent" in the stem is your cue to stop thinking single-project and start thinking cross-project resource leveling.