What is a contingency plan in project management?

• A. A chart of daily stand-up meetings.
• B. A detailed budget for the project.
• C. A description of the main goals and objectives.
• D. Backup plans to ensure project completion by the final deadline.

Answer: (B)

A contingency plan is a set of predefined backup actions you put in place to handle potential problems and keep the project moving toward the final deadline. It anticipates risks, outlining what to do if something goes wrong—such as using alternative suppliers, reallocating resources, or adjusting the schedule—to ensure the project can still be completed on time.

The daily stand-up chart focuses on how the team communicates and coordinates day to day, not on responses to risks. A detailed budget covers costs and funding, not actionable steps to counter delays or problems. A description of goals and objectives defines what the project aims to achieve, not how to respond if issues arise. The contingency plan centers on ready-to-activate backups to safeguard the schedule and deadline.