Download Full Version Change-Management-Foundation APMG-International Exam

The change curve is a model that describes the typical emotional stages that people go through when they face a change. The early stages of the change curve are characterized by shock, denial, anger, and frustration. To help people through these stages, change leaders should be clear about the losses that people will experience and acknowledge their feelings and concerns. The other options are not appropriate responses, as they would either ignore or dismiss people’s emotions or create more uncertainty and confusion.References: (page 11)

According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), perceiving is one of the four preference pairs that describe how people interact with the world and make decisions. Perceiving refers to preferring to keep options open, being spontaneous, and disliking detailed plans. The other options are not preferences, but dimensions of preferences. Intuition and feeling are opposite to sensing and thinking, respectively, while introvert is opposite to extrovert.References: (page 11)

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

Bruce Tuckman’s Team Development Model, as detailed in the APMG Change Management Foundation, includes five stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning (originally four, with Adjourning added later). Let’s explore each stage and the question’s focus on moving on with positive closure:

•Forming: The team assembles, focusing on orientation and relationship-building. Achievements are minimal, and there’s no sense of closure yet.

•Storming: Conflict and competition emerge as members assert roles. This stage is about resolving tensions, not completing tasks or moving on.

•Performing: The team works effectively toward goals, achieving results. While successful, the focus is on ongoing performance, not disbanding or reflecting on completion.

•Adjourning: The team disbands after achieving its purpose, reflecting on accomplishments and transitioning to new endeavors. This stage, also called Mourning, involves closure, celebration, and a positive sense of moving forward—exactly what the question describes.

For example, a project team completing a software rollout might celebrate their success in Adjourning, feeling good about deliverables before starting new projects. The APMG framework notes Adjourning as the stage where teams wrap up, often with pride and readiness for what’s next, making Option D the clear answer.

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

Measuring change progress is a critical responsibility in the APMG Change Management Foundation, ensuring alignment with objectives. The question seeks a term for outcome-focused measures. Let’s dive deeply into each option:

•Context: Change Managers need metrics to demonstrate success, not just activity completion. These measures must be defined collaboratively (e.g., with sponsors) and tied to desired outcomes (e.g., improved efficiency, customer satisfaction), providing evidence that the change is delivering value.

•Option A: Islands of Stability – This term, sometimes used in change literature, refers to fixed points (e.g., unchanged processes) providing comfort during upheaval. It’s about emotional anchoring, not measurement. For example, retaining a familiar reporting structure during a tech rollout isn’t a metric but a stabilizing factor, making this irrelevant here.

•Option B: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – Correct answer. KPIs are quantifiable measures reflecting success against goals, widely used in change management. The APMG framework defines them as tools to track outcomes like sales growth post-training or error rates after a system upgrade. For instance, if a change aims to boost productivity, a KPI might be “average tasks completed per hour.” Agreed upon with stakeholders, KPIs show whether the change is on track, making them the standard term in this context.

•Option C: Incremental Milestones – Milestones mark progress (e.g., “training completed by Q2”), but they’re time-based checkpoints, not outcome measures. While useful, they don’t inherently reflect success (e.g., training might finish but not improve skills), so they’re less precise than KPIs for the question’s focus.

•Option D: Transition Tranches – This refers to phased delivery segments (e.g., rolling out software by department). It’s a strategy, not a measurement tool, and doesn’t assess outcomes, ruling it out.

•Deep Reasoning: KPIs bridge outputs (what’s done) and outcomes (what’s achieved). The APMG emphasizes their role in the Balanced Scorecard or benefits realization, distinguishing them from milestones (process-focused) or tranches (delivery-focused). For example, a KPI like “customer retention rate” directly ties to a change’s purpose, unlike a milestone like “system installed.”

•Example Application: In a retail change to improve service, KPIs might include “average customer wait time” or “Net Promoter Score,” agreed with managers to track progress, proving Option B’s fit.