Risk and change management - Managing project issues

Learning Outcomes

After reviewing this article, you will be able to identify, assess, and manage project issues according to PMP standards. You will recognize how risks are tracked until they become issues, differentiate between risk and issue management, understand escalation and response strategies, and select actions that align with PMP exam expectations. You will also learn effective stakeholder engagement when dealing with issues and typical exam pitfalls related to managing project issues.

PMP Syllabus

For PMP, you are required to understand the difference between risks and issues, recognize the transition from risk to issue, and select appropriate actions for managing issues in line with escalation paths and best PMP practices. You should focus your revision on:

• Explaining how risks are tracked, monitored, and addressed when they become issues.
• Defining a project issue and contrasting it with a risk.
• Attacking issues with optimal actions for successful project outcomes.
• Following issue escalation paths and roles (including the role of the issue owner).
• Collaborating with stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Integrating issue management with risk and change control processes.
• Recognizing common errors when managing project issues in the PMP exam context.

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. Which of the following statements is true about managing project issues?
   1. Issues are always planned for and never unexpected
   2. Issues are documented and resolved reactively only by the project sponsor
   3. Issues require assignment of an owner and escalation if outside the team's authority
   4. Issues are ignored once they are added to the issue log
2. When a previously identified risk materializes in a project, what is the correct next step?
   1. Treat it as a new risk and begin analysis
   2. Add it to the issue log and execute the preplanned response
   3. Remove it from the risk register and do nothing further
   4. Escalate immediately to senior management for all issues
3. What is the purpose of an escalation path in issue management?
   1. To delay decision-making about issues
   2. To ensure all issues are discussed only with the customer
   3. To clarify thresholds and authority for resolving issues
   4. To require every issue be solved by the project manager alone

Introduction

Project issues are unexpected events or conditions that require immediate attention and can affect project objectives. Managing issues is not just about fixing problems as they arise—it is about timely documentation, optimal action, clear ownership, and stakeholder engagement, all while following established escalation paths and change procedures. This article will clarify how to identify, track, and resolve project issues in a way aligned with the PMP exam requirements.

Recognizing and Documenting Issues

During project execution, risks are monitored, but when a risk event actually occurs, it becomes an "issue". Not all issues start as risks; issues may also arise suddenly without warning. Every issue must be clearly recorded in an issue log.

Key Term: Issue
An unplanned event or condition that has occurred and requires resolution to protect project objectives. Issues are always current events—not potential or future ones.

Key Term: Issue Log
A project document used to record, assign, and track active issues, including their owners, status, and actions taken for resolution.

Transition from Risk to Issue

A risk is an uncertain event that could affect project objectives if it occurs. If and when a risk comes true, it is tracked as an issue and managed actively.

Key Term: Risk
A potential event or condition with uncertain probability that may impact objectives either positively or negatively.

Key Term: Risk Register
A live document that captures all potential risks, their probability, impact, responses, and status until they are retired or become issues.

Assigning Issue Ownership and Escalation

Once an issue is documented, the project manager (or other team member) assigns an issue owner, responsible for tracking, reporting, and attempting resolution. Not all issues can be resolved at the project team level. For issues outside the project team's authority or that exceed set thresholds (e.g., cost, schedule impact, or risk to critical objectives), prompt escalation must follow a defined path.

Key Term: Issue Owner
The individual assigned primary responsibility for monitoring, reporting, and resolving a specific project issue.

Key Term: Escalation Path
A predefined route for swiftly shifting unresolved issues to higher decision-making authority, based on agreed thresholds.

Responding to Issues: Action and Stakeholder Involvement

Attacking an issue means selecting the optimal response based on impact, priority, and authority. Most issues require collaboration, not only among project team members but also with relevant stakeholders, managers, or sponsors.

• Issues directly within the team's control are assigned and tracked to prompt resolution.
• Issues outside team authority are escalated per the escalation path or thresholds.
• Stakeholder engagement may involve discussing trade-offs, seeking buy-in for potential changes, or addressing competing priorities.

If the issue requires change to scope, schedule, cost, or deliverables, the project manager must trigger the formal change control process.

Key Term: Change Control Process
The formal method used to document, evaluate, approve or reject, and implement changes to project baselines or deliverables.

Worked Example 1.1

A project team identifies a vendor delivery delay as a risk in their risk register and plans that, if this vendor fails to deliver by the milestone date, an alternate vendor will be contracted. Two weeks before the milestone, the vendor officially notifies the team that they will be unable to deliver on time.

What should the project manager do?

Answer: The project manager should move the event from the risk register to the issue log, assign an issue owner, and initiate the preplanned risk response (contract the alternate vendor). If the alternate vendor cannot fulfill the requirement and the team lacks authority to select a different solution, the issue should be escalated as per the escalation path for senior management decision.

Issue Resolution Best Practices

• Always record the issue immediately with sufficient detail.
• Assign an owner responsible for follow-up, action, and status updates.
• Determine the urgency and significance; act or escalate based on thresholds.
• Engage stakeholders whose interests or authority relate to the issue.
• Track the status of every issue until closure. Do not lose sight of open issues.

Exam Warning

On the PMP exam, confusion commonly arises between risk response and issue response. Remember: when a risk materializes, you cannot plan for it as a future event—you must record and act as an issue. Delaying action or skipping documentation are both incorrect for PMP questions.

Issue vs. Risk: Summary Table

Revision Tip

Focus on issue assignment and escalation: Who is responsible, and at what threshold must the issue be raised? Memorizing typical escalation paths (project manager -> sponsor -> steering committee) can help gain marks quickly in exam scenarios.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Project issues are unexpected events or conditions requiring immediate resolution.
• When a risk is realized, it becomes an issue and should be moved from the risk register to the issue log.
• Every issue must be assigned an owner for monitoring and action.
• Issues are resolved at the lowest responsible level; those exceeding thresholds are escalated following a designated path.
• Stakeholder collaboration is essential to effective issue resolution.
• Issues with significant impact often require formal change control actions.
• Poor issue documentation or unclear escalation paths can result in PMP exam errors.
• Issues are tracked until resolved, ensuring project objectives are protected.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Issue
• Issue Log
• Risk
• Risk Register
• Issue Owner
• Escalation Path
• Change Control Process