The CEO is thrilled about the success of the product trials and asks to expand the sampling; what should the project manager do first?

The CEO is thrilled about the success of the product trials and asks to expand the sampling; what should the project manager do first?

• A. Scale the product trial process to meet the demands of the CEO
• B. Consider what might be included in a change request
• C. Adjust the scope baseline to reflect the CEO's instructions
• D. Communicate CEO's change to project stakeholders

Answer: (B)

When a request to expand sampling arises, the immediate task is to treat it as a potential change to the project and put it through the change-control process. This means documenting what would change, why it’s needed, and estimating its impact on scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk. By framing it as a change request, you ensure there is formal evaluation, approval, or rejection before any action is taken. Only after the change is reviewed and approved should you update baselines and inform stakeholders. Jumping to scale up the trials right away would bypass governance and could derail the project’s baselines; adjusting the scope without approval would undermine control, and simply communicating the idea to stakeholders without a decision risks confusion. The formal change request step safeguards alignment with the plan and stakeholder expectations.

When a request to expand sampling arises, the immediate task is to treat it as a potential change to the project and put it through the change-control process. This means documenting what would change, why it’s needed, and estimating its impact on scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk. By framing it as a change request, you ensure there is formal evaluation, approval, or rejection before any action is taken. Only after the change is reviewed and approved should you update baselines and inform stakeholders.

Jumping to scale up the trials right away would bypass governance and could derail the project’s baselines; adjusting the scope without approval would undermine control, and simply communicating the idea to stakeholders without a decision risks confusion. The formal change request step safeguards alignment with the plan and stakeholder expectations.