PMP · Question #718
A project manager has been assigned to an emergency project that must be completed within the next few weeks. The project manager realizes this will have an impact on the local community. As the work
The correct answer is D. Liaise with the school to include nonworking project hours during school start and finish times. For an emergency project near a school, the project manager should liaise with the school to schedule non-working project hours during their sensitive start and finish times to ensure smooth operations.
Question
Options
- APostpone the required work on the project until school holidays begin
- BContinue the work as planned and inform the school when the project team arrives on-site
- CAdvise the school to close for the duration of the project work
- DLiaise with the school to include nonworking project hours during school start and finish times
How the community answered
(33 responses)- A9% (3)
- B3% (1)
- C3% (1)
- D85% (28)
Why each option
For an emergency project near a school, the project manager should liaise with the school to schedule non-working project hours during their sensitive start and finish times to ensure smooth operations.
Postponing an 'emergency project' until school holidays is likely not feasible or advisable given the urgent nature of the work and could have severe consequences for the project's objectives.
Continuing work as planned and simply informing the school ignores the potential for disruption and safety concerns, which contradicts the project manager's initial engagement to understand their needs.
Advising the school to close for the project duration is an extreme and unreasonable demand that would create significant burden for the community and is not a practical solution.
Proactively coordinating with the school to adjust project working hours around school start and finish times is a highly effective way to mitigate disruption, address community concerns, and maintain positive stakeholder relations, allowing the project to proceed smoothly with minimal conflict.
Concept tested: Stakeholder Management, Communication Planning
Source: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-engagement-process-critical-success-1250
Topics
Community Discussion
4
Ingrid P.Jun 20, 2026D is correct. Engagement already happened so the next step is collaborative scheduling, and option D mirrors the classic exam pattern of adjusting nonworking hours to accommodate stakeholder needs without derailing an emergency timeline. Make a card on this one with the trigger phrase emergency project plus near a school and anchor the answer to the word liaise.
Fatima Z.Jun 10, 2026First leaned toward A because postpone sounds like a nice way to avoid the whole mess, but emergency project means no delaying. Then I remembered my little CRISP hook for stakeholder engagement: Consult, Respond, Include, Schedule, Protect. You already Consulted the school, so the next move is Include their needs into the Schedule, which is exactly what D does by carving out nonworking hours during start and finish times.
Wei W.Jun 24, 2026Going with B here. Emergency project means schedule comes first, and the PM already engaged the school to understand their needs. Informing on arrival keeps them in the loop without delaying critical work.
Fatima Z.Jun 25, 2026D is the right call here, Wei. In a true emergency you still confirm access and scope before touching anything, and showing up without that confirmation is a recipe for wasted time or stepped-on toes.