You are managing a bridge construction project with a 36-month duration and multiple work packages. The project is in month 12, and you are conducting a quality audit. You discover that concrete testing procedures documented in the quality management plan have not been consistently followed by the construction subcontractor for the past two months. The subcontractor claims the alternative testing methods they used are equivalent and meet industry standards. No structural failures have occurred. What should you do?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C. The quality management plan represents approved, agreed-upon quality standards and procedures that must be followed unless formally changed through the change control process. Even if alternative methods meet industry standards, unilateral deviation from approved procedures represents a compliance issue that must be corrected. The project manager must require immediate corrective action to return to approved procedures and conduct an assessment to determine if any testing gaps exist that could affect structural integrity or project acceptance. Option A is incorrect because accepting unapproved deviations undermines quality governance and sets a precedent for non-compliance. While the methods may be technically adequate, the process violation is the primary issue. Option B treats this as a process improvement rather than a compliance violation—any changes to quality procedures must go through formal change control, not be implemented unilaterally. Option D fails to address the compliance issue adequately.

PMP Practice Question: Process — Predictive, Medium

More Process Questions