A project team member just informed the project manager that the license for the software that the team uses to perform calculations has just expired. As a result, the team cannot continue with…

Issuing a formal complaint to the project sponsor is not a productive first step; it focuses on blame rather than immediate problem-solving and action to mitigate project delays.

Asking the team to find an alternative way to perform calculations without first assessing the license renewal speed or alternative tasks is not the most efficient initial step, as finding an alternative might be time-consuming and temporary.

In an agile or adaptive environment, when a significant impediment blocks specific tasks, the project manager's primary immediate action is to ensure the team remains productive. By shifting focus to tasks that do not require the affected software, the project manager minimizes downtime and continues delivering value while the root cause (license renewal) is being addressed in parallel.

While meeting with the IT team is a crucial step to resolve the license issue, it is not the *first* action to mitigate the immediate impact on project progress; the team should continue with other work in parallel to avoid complete stagnation.