Project Management, Team Leadership, and Change Management
What the exam tests
This domain tests project execution and the people side of improvement: work breakdown, schedules, critical path, roles, team development, stakeholder engagement, and change management.
Core rules
- A WBS decomposes deliverables into work packages; the critical path is the longest dependent path and has zero float.
- Total float = LS - ES or LF - EF. A task with float can slip without delaying the project, up to that amount.
- RACI assigns one Accountable person per deliverable; multiple Responsible roles are allowed, but multiple Accountable roles create confusion.
- Teams typically move through forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning; conflict in storming is normal and should be surfaced, not suppressed.
- Change models such as Kotter's eight steps and ADKAR emphasize urgency, sponsorship, communication, and reinforcement.
- Resistance is data: identify whether it reflects lack of understanding, lack of capability, or genuine disagreement about impact.
Worked example
Tasks: A = 3 days; B = 4 days after A; C = 2 days after A; D = 5 days after B and C; E = 1 day after D. Path A-B-D-E = 3 + 4 + 5 + 1 = 13 days; path A-C-D-E = 3 + 2 + 5 + 1 = 11 days. The critical path is A-B-D-E at 13 days, and C has 2 days of float. The reasoning: D cannot start until both predecessors finish, so C's delay up to two days does not move the project end date.
Traps
Equating the critical path with the most expensive or most visible task; assigning two accountable owners; assuming a sponsor's title equals active sponsorship; and treating resistance as a communications problem without checking capability or incentives.