What is the key difference between a constraint and a risk in project management?

• A. Constraint is a fixed limit (time, cost, scope); risk is an uncertain future event; constraint shapes planning
• B. They are the same concept
• C. Risk affects periods with certainty
• D. Constraint only affects quality

Answer: (C)

Constraints are fixed limits on time, cost, or scope that bound what you can do and drive how you plan and execute the work. Risks are potential future events whose occurrence is uncertain and that could impact objectives if they happen, so they require ongoing assessment and mitigation. The best description distinguishes these two ideas by noting that a constraint shapes planning as a known restriction, while a risk involves uncertainty about what might occur. Statements that treat risk as certain, claim that constraints only affect quality, or say the two are the same don’t fit, because risk is about uncertainty, and constraints apply broadly to time, cost, and scope across the project.