HKSM

Issues are confirmed, present problems or conditions affecting the project now; unlike risks, they do not require probability analysis and instead need ownership, tracking, and resolution.

Key Points

• Issues are happening now and have certain impact on the project.
• They are recorded in an issue log with an owner, priority, due date, and status.
• They require immediate attention, escalation as needed, and a clear action plan.
• They are different from risks (uncertain future events) and may lead to change requests or follow-up risks.

Example

A vendor misses a critical hardware delivery, blocking system testing. The project manager logs it as an issue, assigns the procurement lead as owner, sets a due date to secure an alternate supplier, escalates to the steering committee, and updates the schedule once a workaround is confirmed.

PMP Example Question

During Sprint 4, the payment gateway stops working in the test environment, halting integration testing. How should the project manager classify and handle this situation?

1. As a risk; perform probability and impact analysis and update the risk register.
2. As an issue; record it in the issue log, assign an owner and due date, and initiate resolution actions.
3. As a change request; skip logging and move directly to the change control process.
4. As an assumption; document it and continue with planned work.

Correct Answer: B — Issue

Explanation: The problem is already occurring and affecting work, so it is an issue that needs ownership, tracking, and immediate resolution, not a probability assessment.