PgMP Practice Questions #9
During a project health check review meeting, you discover an issue in Project A that might impact Project B. What should be your next action?
A. Ask Project B to also register the issue in its issue register
B. Ask Project B to raise a risk in the risk register and link it to Project A’s issue
C. Record the current issue in the program-level issue log
D. Record this as a risk in the program-level risk register
Analysis
In this scenario, a project health check review has revealed an issue in Project A that could potentially impact Project B. As the program manager, you need to decide on the best course of action to address the situation, considering the broader impact on the program. The key considerations here are whether the issue should be tracked at the program level and the nature of the response needed to manage the cross-project impact effectively. This question requires judgment on whether to handle this as an issue or risk, given its impact across multiple components.
Analysis of Options
Option A: Ask Project B to also register the issue in its issue register. This option is less suitable as the issue originates in Project A, and Project B has not yet experienced an issue, only a potential impact. For Project B, this situation is more likely a risk rather than an active issue, so adding it to Project B’s issue register would not be appropriate. Tracking an issue that hasn’t yet materialized in Project B does not align with accurate program or project management practices.
Option B: Ask Project B to raise a risk in the risk register and link it to Project A’s issue. This option acknowledges that the issue in Project A could become a risk for Project B. Recording this as a risk in Project B’s risk register with a link to Project A’s issue is a reasonable action, as it raises awareness within Project B of a potential impact. However, while this is helpful at the project level, it may not address the need to manage the issue at the program level, where the compounding effects across components can be better monitored.
Option C: Record the current issue in the program-level issue log. This option directly addresses the need to escalate the issue to the program level, where it can be tracked for its broader impact across multiple components. As the issue is already occurring in Project A and has the potential to affect Project B, managing it at the program level allows for better oversight and coordination across projects. Escalating the issue ensures it is appropriately tracked, and mitigations can be considered across both components. This approach aligns with program management best practices for handling issues with cross-component impact.
Option D: Record this as a risk in the program-level risk register. Recording this situation as a risk in the program-level risk register may not be appropriate because it is an existing issue in Project A rather than a potential future event. Since the issue is already occurring, it should be managed as an issue rather than a risk. Tracking it as a risk could delay or misrepresent the level of urgency needed to address the immediate impact across projects.
Conclusion
The most appropriate answer is Option C: Record the current issue in the program-level issue log. According to the Program Management Standard (Fifth Edition), section 3.6.1.5 on Program Risk and Issue Governance, escalation frameworks are essential for ensuring that key risks and issues are escalated appropriately and addressed in a timely manner. By recording this issue in the program-level issue log, the program manager can ensure that it is managed with oversight and escalated to the appropriate level due to its potential cross-project impact. This approach aligns with best practices for handling issues that may have compounding effects across multiple components within the program.
PgMP Certification Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Governance | Task 7: Establish escalation policies and procedures to ensure risks are handled at the appropriate level. |
Topics Covered
- Program-Level Issue Management
- Cross-Component Issue Escalation
- Program Risk and Issue Governance
- Compounding and Cascading Effects in Program Management
- Issue vs. Risk Identification and Tracking
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