L5M8 Project and Change Management Questions and Answers

Personal powerderives from individual traits, relationships and credibility (e.g., being well-liked and influential). This contrasts withpositional(formal authority),expert(knowledge), andnegative(ability to obstruct).

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.

The final step in the lifecycle is thereview stage, following closure. It evaluates project success against objectives and captures lessons learned for future improvement.

AProject Reviewis an evaluative learning exercise focusing onreflection(lessons learned) andlong-term impactassessment. It promotes organisational learning and improvement for future projects.

AGantt chartvisually maps activities againsttimeto show sequencing and overlap of tasks. It’s used for scheduling, tracking progress, and identifying dependencies.

Resource demand typicallyfluctuatesduring a project. The pattern can vary (bell-shaped, trapezoid, front-loaded, back-loaded) depending on the project’s phase and intensity of activity.

EvolutionandAdaptationboth representincremental change— gradual, continuous improvements. In contrast,RevolutionandReconstructionaresimultaneous or transformationalin nature.

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

The guide recommendsearly involvement of subcontractorsin complex projects. This ensures clarity in expectations, communication, and alignment before execution, enhancing performance and collaboration.

AMultiple Cause Diagramvisually mapsthe interrelationships of causes and effects, helping teams analysewhy a change or issue has occurredand see the wider system context.

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.

The guide explains thatsoftware should only be used if it adds valueto project control and efficiency. For small, low-complexity projects, it might beunnecessary or uneconomical.

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

Aninterchange costarises when there is inefficiency or delay between process stages in the value stream. In Lean thinking, ideal flow minimises these gaps to improve cycle time and efficiency.

Summative evaluationassesseseffectiveness and outcomesagainst predefined measures once a change has been implemented (and as benefits are realised).Processevaluation focuses on “how” the change was implemented;ROIis purely financial.

Participative evolutionentails incremental change with employee support. Effective application requires aconsultative leadership styleto involve and engage people so they back the change. Tight timescales or large budgets are not defining necessities.

TheChange Cycle(Salerno and Brock) followsLoss → Doubt → Discomfort → Discovery → Understanding → Integration. Early stages involve emotional loss and uncertainty before adjustment begins.

TheAgilemethodology promotesadaptability,collaboration, anditerative development. Daily “scrum” meetings are a hallmark of Agile. It contrasts withWaterfall, which is linear and sequential.Project Diamondconcerns customer expectations, andLeanfocuses on waste elimination.

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

TheTriple Bottom Line (TBL)measures organisational sustainability by assessing impact onPeople,Planet, andProfit. It extends success evaluation beyond financial metrics to include social and environmental outcomes.

Core success factors highlighted includerobust planningandclear, well-defined objectives/requirements. Projects don’t inherently needlarge budgetsto be successful, and external stakeholders may not always be central.

Lewin’s classic model frames change asUnfreeze → Change → Refreeze. The first step isunfreezing, preparing the organisation/people to move away from the current state before making and stabilising the change.

TheBoard/Steering Grouphas ultimate accountability; itauthorises initiationandapproves major decisions/deviationsduring delivery. Budgeting and staffing are typically managed via other governance routes/roles.