Within Project Risk Management, which output is produced by the Risk Response Planning process?

Introduction / Context:
Risk Response Planning is the process in which the project team decides how to address each significant risk. For threats, this may involve avoidance, mitigation, transfer, or acceptance. For opportunities, it may involve exploitation, enhancement, sharing, or acceptance. The key output is a documented set of risk response strategies and specific actions linked to individual risks. This question asks you to identify that output.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The process is Risk Response Planning in the Risk Management knowledge area.
• The question asks for its main output.
• Options include a risk response plan or updated risk register and several other plans and documents from different knowledge areas.
• We assume PMI aligned terminology.

Concept / Approach:
Risk Response Planning builds on earlier identification and analysis work. The result is a set of planned actions to be taken if risks occur or in advance for proactive management. These actions are typically documented in an updated risk register or in a separate risk response plan section. The output includes assigned owners, budgets, and schedule changes for risk responses. Other documents such as staffing plans, organizational process assets libraries, contracts, and communications plans are not the primary outputs of this process.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Risk Response Planning answers the question of how the team will respond to each significant risk. Step 2: Understand that the main output is documentation of those responses, usually by updating the risk register or creating a formal risk response plan. Step 3: Examine the answer options and find the one that explicitly refers to a risk response plan or updated risk register containing strategies and actions. Step 4: Option a matches this description and therefore is the correct output. Step 5: Confirm that the other options relate to human resources, organizational knowledge, contractual agreements, or communications, not specifically to risk responses.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine you have identified a high priority risk that a key component might not be delivered on time. In Risk Response Planning, you decide to mitigate this risk by qualifying an alternate supplier and adding a buffer. You document this decision, assign an owner, and record required actions in the risk register. This documentation, updated with response strategies, is exactly what option a describes and shows why it is the main output.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A staffing management plan is part of the Human Resource Management Plan and comes from human resource planning processes. An organizational process assets library is maintained at the organizational level and updated across many projects, not just through risk response planning. Contracts are outputs of procurement processes. The Communications Management Plan is produced in communications planning. None of these objects is the central deliverable of Risk Response Planning.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes learners think that once risks are analyzed, the work is complete. In reality, risk response planning is essential, and without documented responses, risk management remains theoretical. On exams, whenever a process involves choosing specific strategies for handling risks, look for outputs that mention updated risk registers or risk response plans with assigned actions and owners.

Final Answer:
The key output of Risk Response Planning is a risk response plan or updated risk register that documents specific risk response strategies and actions.