APMG Change Management Foundation study plan
APMG Change Management Foundation · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Change and the individual
Explain how individual responses to change move through the emotional and competence stages of a change curve
Describe the difference between change (situational) and transition (psychological) and give an example of each
List at least five common sources of individual resistance and match each to a suitable response
Define the learning zone and identify what pushes a person out of it
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated change curve diagram with the four stages, the leader's task at each stage, and three self-written resistance scenarios
Change and the individual & Change and the organisation
Compare at least three models of individual personality or learning preference and state how each informs how you would support a person through change
Explain how motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) affects willingness to adopt a change
Describe the role of the individual as change agent, recipient and resistor within an organisational change
Identify how organisational culture and structure shape individual behaviour during change
Your checkpoint
A 20-question self-written quiz on Domain 1, scored at 80% or above with every wrong answer annotated with the correct reasoning
Change and the organisation
Distinguish between the types of organisational change (incremental/transformational, planned/emergent) and classify given examples
Describe how organisational culture, power and politics influence the delivery of change
Explain the purpose and components of a change management plan at organisational level
Outline the roles of sponsor, change manager, change agent and change team and what each is accountable for
Explain the difference between project management and change management and why both are needed
Your checkpoint
A comparison table of the major organisational change models or approaches covered in the syllabus, with the context in which each is best applied
Stakeholder strategy
Identify stakeholder categories and classify stakeholders by influence, impact and attitude
Construct and interpret a stakeholder map and a power/interest grid
Explain how to develop a stakeholder engagement strategy and segment stakeholders by their needs
Describe how to diagnose and manage the behaviour of key stakeholder groups, including 'pockets of resistance'
Explain the role of the sponsor in stakeholder engagement and what makes a sponsor effective
Your checkpoint
A full stakeholder analysis for a scenario you invent: grid, attitudes, engagement strategy per group, and a named sponsor rationale
Communication and engagement
Explain the purpose of communication in change and how it differs from information dissemination
Select appropriate communication channels and methods for different stakeholder groups and message types
Describe the principles of effective change communication, including clarity, consistency and timing
Explain how to build engagement and commitment rather than mere compliance
Recognise common communication failure modes and how to correct them
Your checkpoint
A written communication and engagement plan for the week-4 scenario, covering at least four stakeholder groups, channels, frequency, key messages and feedback loops
Change impact
Explain the purpose of a change impact assessment and what it should capture
Identify the areas of the organisation affected by change (people, process, technology, structure, culture) and how to assess severity
Describe how to assess and address capability, capacity and competence gaps
Explain how impact analysis feeds the readiness, communication and training plans
Recognise the risks of underestimating organisational impact
Your checkpoint
A completed change impact assessment for your scenario, with a severity rating per affected area and a mitigation action against each high-severity item
Change readiness
Define change readiness and distinguish organisational readiness from individual readiness
Identify the factors that build or erode readiness and how each can be measured
Explain the role of a readiness assessment and what evidence supports a 'go/no-go' decision
Describe how to build and sustain momentum through the transition and into reinforcement
Link readiness back to stakeholder, communication and impact outputs to form one coherent plan
Your checkpoint
A readiness checklist with 15 measurable indicators, plus a one-page integrated change plan tying together the three prior deliverables
Change and the individual & Change and the organisation & Stakeholder strategy & Communication and engagement & Change impact & Change readiness
Revise all six domains using condensed notes, focusing on the weakest areas identified by practice scores
Practise exam technique on scenario-based questions, including eliminating distractors
Identify and close any remaining knowledge gaps with targeted re-study
Build stamina and timing discipline under exam conditions
Your checkpoint
Two timed full-length practice papers, each scored at 70% or above, with an error log recording the domain of every miss
Milestones
Week 2: Self-written Domain 1 quiz scored at 80%+ and you can explain, without notes, why people resist change and what to do about it
Week 4: Stakeholder analysis produced and you can correctly classify a set of ten unfamiliar stakeholders on a power/interest grid with justified reasons
Week 5: Communication plan reviewed against a checklist of channel, timing, message and feedback criteria, with gaps corrected
Week 6: Change impact assessment completed and you can state how it changes at least three decisions in the communication and readiness plans
Week 7: Readiness checklist completed and integrated plan reviewed for consistency across stakeholder, communication and impact sections
Week 8: Two timed mock papers at 70%+ with every missed question logged by domain and a revision action recorded