You are managing a pharmaceutical research project following a stage-gate predictive methodology. Your project has just completed the design phase, and you are preparing for the gate review before entering the development phase. During preparation, you discover that one of the key assumptions documented in the project charter—that a specific research facility would be available—is no longer valid due to facility renovations. The next available equivalent facility is in a different location and would increase project costs by 8%. What should you do BEFORE the gate review?

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Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C. When a key assumption proves invalid, the project management plan must be updated to reflect the new reality before seeking approval to proceed to the next phase (Process Task 1.2). Gate reviews require accurate, current information to make go/no-go decisions, and proceeding with outdated plans would undermine the governance process. Option C correctly addresses the need to revise affected plan components (schedule, budget, resources) before the formal review. Option A delays necessary analysis and puts decision-makers in a position to make uninformed choices during the meeting. Option B treats this as merely a risk when it is actually a current reality requiring plan updates. Option D seeks limited approval without full impact analysis. The 8% cost increase may also require additional stakeholder buy-in beyond just the sponsor, and the gate review process is designed to ensure all impacts are understood before committing resources to the next phase.

PMP Practice Question: Process — Predictive, Medium

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