PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) — Question 106

A project manager is hired as a consultant by the executive sponsor to manage a major change program that has experienced two past failures. The current executive sponsor believes the project is in good shape based on feedback from the last project manager and reports this to senior executive management. The executive sponsor believes there were no major risks threatening the time, budget, or quality of the project. In the first week of risk analysis, the project manager concludes the project timeline is unrealistic and is three months behind schedule. The organization's risk appetite is low.
What is the first step that should be taken?

Answer options

• A. Review the project schedule and recommend fast tracking the schedule and/or crashing the critical path.
• B. Discuss the project schedule with the executive sponsor and agree on a strategy for updating the risk management plan and risk response plans.
• C. Update existing risk response plans and include more resources to get the project back on track.
• D. Immediately call a steering committee meeting, report the project status, and suggest project scope reductions to save time.

Correct answer: B

Explanation

The correct answer is B because the project manager needs to communicate the project's actual status to the executive sponsor and collaborate on updating the risk management plan, which is essential for addressing the identified issues. Option A is premature as it does not involve engaging the executive sponsor in the decision-making process. Option C assumes that resources can fix the timeline without addressing the underlying risk management issues. Option D may create panic without proper alignment on the project's strategy.