CAPM Practice: Determine how to document project controls of predictive, plan-based projects

Best practice is to analyze the problem and develop options before escalating. Going to the sponsor with just a problem (without proposed solutions) is less effective than presenting: here's the variance, here's why it occurred, here are three options with their trade-offs, and here's my recommendation. Sponsors appreciate solutions-oriented escalations.

**Why not B:** Waiting to see if the variance corrects itself is passive management that risks further deterioration. A significant variance requires immediate analysis and action. Delays in addressing variances can allow small problems to become large ones.

**Why not C:** Updating the baseline to reflect new performance without first analyzing root causes and developing recovery options is premature re-baselining. It accepts the variance without attempting correction and requires formal change control approval that should only be pursued after recovery options are exhausted.

**Why not D:** Immediately escalating without analysis wastes the sponsor's time and presents a problem without solutions. Effective project managers analyze issues and develop options before escalating, giving sponsors actionable information to make decisions rather than just awareness of a problem.