A project team member identified a defect in the initial solution design for a project. The stakeholders are not sure whether to deploy the system or not. What should the project manager do?

The correct answer is C. Perform risk analysis against the issue.. A defect in the initial solution design is causing uncertainty among stakeholders regarding deployment, requiring the project manager to assess the potential impact before making a decision. The project manager should perform a risk analysis to understand the implications of the

Submitted by femi9· Apr 18, 2026Process

Question

Options

APropose a solution redesign for the project.
BRevise the project's quality control measurements.
CPerform risk analysis against the issue.
DDevelop a mitigation based on the solution design.

How the community answered

(41 responses)

A
10% (4)
B
2% (1)
C
83% (34)
D
5% (2)

Why each option

A defect in the initial solution design is causing uncertainty among stakeholders regarding deployment, requiring the project manager to assess the potential impact before making a decision. The project manager should perform a risk analysis to understand the implications of the identified defect on the project objectives and inform stakeholders' decisions.

APropose a solution redesign for the project.

Proposing a solution redesign immediately is premature without first understanding the full scope and impact of the defect through proper analysis.

BRevise the project's quality control measurements.

Revising quality control measurements doesn't address the specific defect identified in the design; it's a process improvement, not an immediate defect resolution.

CPerform risk analysis against the issue.Correct

Performing a risk analysis against the identified defect allows the project manager to systematically evaluate its potential impact on cost, schedule, quality, and other project objectives, providing stakeholders with objective data to make an informed deployment decision. This helps to quantify the problem and guide subsequent actions.

DDevelop a mitigation based on the solution design.

Developing a mitigation based on the solution design is premature without fully understanding the defect's risk and impact through a comprehensive analysis.

Concept tested: Risk management and issue analysis

Source: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok

Topics

#Risk Analysis#Issue Management#Quality Control#Decision Making

Community Discussion

Luis F.Jul 5, 2026

C is correct because when stakeholders are unsure about deploying due to a defect, the PM needs to perform risk analysis against the issue to give them the data they need to make an informed decision. I almost picked A but redesigning right away is premature since you have to assess the actual impact first.

Zlatan X.Jul 7, 2026

C is right but frame it at program altitude: the PM feeds the deployment decision data into program governance so leadership can weigh whether this defect threatens benefits realization across dependent components, not just this one release.

Mateus R.Jul 2, 2026

Think of it like finding a crack in your house foundation right before moving in, you don't immediately tear the whole thing down or patch it blind, you first figure out how likely that crack is to cause the roof to cave in so you can make an informed call. C is correct because the PM needs to assess the threat level before deciding whether to deploy or redesign, but I am curious how folks on here distinguish between performing risk analysis and jumping straight to mitigation when the defect is already known?

Bao N.Jul 5, 2026

C is the right call here because the PM needs to assess the actual impact of the defect before making any deployment decision with the stakeholders. A is a knee-jerk reaction that skips evaluation entirely, and D puts the cart before the horse since you have not even analyzed what the defect means yet. B sounds tempting if you think the process failed, but the question is asking what to do about the deployment uncertainty, not how to fix your measurement process going forward. One thing I keep second-guessing: does PMI always want you to run a risk analysis before proposing a corrective action, or is

Luis F.Jul 7, 2026

Good call on C, Bao, and to finish your thought: PMI wants you to assess impact first, but you can propose a corrective action as part of that package without doing a full separate risk analysis, the key is you are not skipping straight to action like A does.

Zlatan X.Jul 5, 2026

C is right but D tempts you into acting before assessing impact at portfolio altitude.

Hiroshi T.Jul 8, 2026

C is the correct answer per the blueprint, but the distinction matters because portfolio impact assessment is about understanding dependencies across components, not just resisting the urge to act.

Hiroshi T.Jul 5, 2026

C is correct per PMBOK, though A tempts anyone chasing a quick fix.

Full PMP Practice