L5M8 Project and Change Management Questions and Answers

InSMART objectives, “time-bound” refers to setting adeadlineor timeframe. Cleo’s inclusion of the end of the financial year defines clear timing.

Freeman’s typology identifies categories such asowners,managers,employees,suppliers,customers, andlocal communityas primary stakeholders with influence. From the list provided,owners, suppliers, managersalign with that set.

Contained changerefers to scenarios where outcomes can bepredicted with a degree of probability, though not with complete certainty. Weather forecasting fits this — not fully certain (like closed change), but predictable through data and modelling.

Aprogrammeis a coordinated set ofmultiple projectsdelivering broader organisational change, whereas aprojectdelivers specific outputs/objectives. Programme managers hold the moreholisticview.

A risk assessment quantifieslikelihood (probability)andseverity (impact), assigning scores that help prioritise mitigation actions.Typeandownerare qualitative factors.

AMonte Carlo Analysisis a quantitativerisk simulationtechnique. It models uncertainty by running many scenarios to estimate potential outcomes for cost, time, or other risk variables.

The guide advises against diverting resources to one delayed project, as this cancreate competition and resentmentacross teams and may cause a domino effect of further delays. Balanced prioritisation is required.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)eliminates individual tasksafety buffers, consolidating them into a singleproject bufferto reduce delays and improve efficiency.

Moving fromcreative(entrepreneurial) todirection(more formalised) triggers aleadership crisisin Greiner’s model—founders need to adopt more formal management or introduce professional managers.

This isFinish-to-Start with Lead: Activity 2 begins slightlybeforeActivity 1 ends (overlap).Lagwould indicate a delay or gap;leadindicates an early start/overlap.

TheChange Cyclemoves fromloss → doubt → discomfort → discovery → understanding → integration. Since Lucy is in the “doubt” phase, her next stage will bediscomfort, where uncertainty and anxiety peak before adaptation begins.

Thecritical pathidentifies thesequence of tasks with the longest total duration, determining the shortest possible completion time for the project.

APIDis produced before delivery but can beupdatedas the project evolves. It should coverscope, objectives, constraints, risks, assumptions—i.e., bothpositive and negativeaspects.

ISO 26000provides global guidance onsocial responsibility, addressing seven key areas: governance, human rights, labour practices, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, and community development.

A project formallycloses when its success criteria are met— that is, when intended outputs and objectives are achieved (or declared complete). Closure should not depend solely on time or budget constraints.

Resource levellingadjusts resource allocations to balancedemand vs. capacity constraintsover time (adding when workload peaks; releasing when it ebbs) to reduce bottlenecks.

AProject Reportis concise (1–2 pages), highlightingcurrent project status (RAG rating)andkey issues/risks. Thestakeholder management planbelongs in the Project Initiation Document, not in progress reports.

These areinternal negative factors, classed asweaknessesin a SWOT.Strengths/weaknessesare internal;opportunities/threatsare external. Competitor advantage, though external, is perceived here as a benchmark highlighting internal weakness.

InGreiner’s growth model, the first stage —Creative Evolution— is characterised byentrepreneurial energy,informal communication, andfounder-led creativitytypical of start-ups.

Janusz’sTriple HelixhighlightsInterdependency,Interaction, andIntegrationamong network actors as levers for added value in projects/supply networks.

In theconvergencephase, products/services becomestandardised, competition intensifies, and firms seekcost efficiency.Mergers and acquisitionsincrease as companies consolidate to sustain market position.

Thecontrol stageensures that resources, people, and materials areavailable when needed, that progress is monitored, and that corrective actions are taken when deviations occur. It focuses on resource flow and issue resolution — not strict adherence to plan, since projects often evolve.