PMP · Question #772
A team working on a close deployment waits to receive critical information from the customer. The customer keeps postponing sending the information which is delaying the deployment. What should the…
The correct answer is A. Obtained all critical information ahead of time. To prevent deployment delays caused by late customer information, the project manager should have proactively identified and obtained all critical information from the customer well in advance.
Question
Options
- AObtained all critical information ahead of time
- BInvolved the customer in the deployment process
- CUsed the sample data already in place
- DInvolved upper management in the process
How the community answered
(48 responses)- A79% (38)
- B6% (3)
- C2% (1)
- D13% (6)
Why each option
To prevent deployment delays caused by late customer information, the project manager should have proactively identified and obtained all critical information from the customer well in advance.
Proactively obtaining all critical information from the customer ahead of time is a fundamental project planning and risk management step that directly prevents delays caused by late dependencies on external parties. This ensures necessary inputs are available when needed for deployment, avoiding last-minute postponements.
While customer involvement is important, simply involving them in the deployment process does not guarantee they will provide critical information on time, which is the specific cause of the delay.
Using sample data for a 'close deployment' (implying production or near-production) is often insufficient or inappropriate and can introduce errors or further delays, rather than preventing them.
Involving upper management is an escalation tactic used after a problem has occurred and caused a delay, not a preventative measure that would have avoided the delay entirely.
Concept tested: Proactive planning and dependency management
Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok
Topics
Community Discussion
6
Samuel O.Jul 5, 2026A is correct. In my experience managing deployments, if you wait on a customer to deliver critical info during the crunch time, you will get burned every time, so the PM needed to lock down those requirements early in the planning phase when there was still schedule slack.
Dervla O.Jul 4, 2026Confirmed A on exam last week. The stem keyword here is prevent, which points to proactive planning, not a reactive fix once the delay is already happening. One thing that trips people up: does anyone know if the exam treats sample data as an acceptable risk response when customer input is delayed, or is that always considered out of scope for the original plan?
Mateus R.Jun 21, 2026Saw this one on my exam last month, landed on A because it is the only proactive choice. Think of it like a contractor ordering custom windows before the homeowner even picks the color, you lock in the critical specs early so you are not standing around waiting while the deployment date slips away.
Ola B.Jun 13, 2026A is the move here. I had almost this exact scenario on my exam last month and picked A because proactive information gathering beats waiting around every time.
Dervla O.Jun 13, 2026Agreed on A, but make sure you actually read the stem twice because they love flipping it to ask about a reactive scenario where proactive would be the trap answer.
Toby R.Jun 28, 2026Passed last month and got this exact one. A is the right pick but the wording is garbage since you can't always force a customer to hand things over ahead of time, still the PMI logic is that you should have planned and pushed for it earlier rather than waiting around. B is the trap that sounds agile and collaborative but it does not actually solve the missing-information problem.