PMI Risk Management Professional Practice Exam

In a project using the critical chain method, what should the project manager prioritize when both prototype completion and marketing development risks are present?

1. Increase the prototype completion risk in priority even more than the marketing development risk.

2. Keep the risks at the current level of priority on the risk register.

3. Add a feeding buffer before the Develop Marketing activity.

4. Increase the marketing development risk in priority even more than the prototype completion risk.

The correct answer is: Increase the marketing development risk in priority even more than the prototype completion risk.

When managing a project utilizing the critical chain method, prioritization of risks plays a crucial role in ensuring that project objectives are met efficiently. Prioritizing the marketing development risk over the prototype completion risk can be justified by considering the dependencies and how they impact the overall project timeline. In many cases, marketing development is critical for the success of a product launch, as it directly affects how the product is positioned and received in the market. If marketing efforts are delayed or inadequate, even a well-developed prototype may not yield the desired market results. Given that marketing typically needs to align closely with the prototype completion to ensure a timely and effective product rollout, it may be necessary to elevate the priority of the marketing development risk if it is deemed to have a more profound effect on the project's success. Additionally, the critical chain method emphasizes the management of uncertainties and buffers to absorb risk impacts without disrupting the entire project schedule. In this context, adding appropriate buffers to manage the marketing development risk can help mitigate potential delays that may arise from its prioritization, ensuring that the overall project timeline remains intact. Thus, elevating the priority of the marketing development risk aligns with the principles of the critical chain method, where managing dependencies effectively is key to achieving project goals.