APMG-International Change-Management-Foundation Change Management Foundation Exam Practice Test

Answer : A

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth

Neuroscience insights in the APMG Change Management Foundation highlight how the brain learns during change. Statement 1 ('Following moments of insight, offer supportive feedback') is true, as research (e.g., Rock's AGES model) shows that reinforcing insights with feedback strengthens neural pathways, aiding learning. Statement 2 ('Positive informative talks from experts') lacks specific neuroscience backing in this context; while informative, it's not highlighted as a key learning enhancer compared to feedback after insight. Thus, only Statement 1 is true.

Answer : B

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In Agile methodology, as covered in the APMG Change Management Foundation, Timeboxes (Option B), also known as sprints in Scrum, are fixed time periods (e.g., 2--4 weeks) during which specific objectives or deliverables are completed. This structured approach ensures focus and progress. Minimum viable product (A) refers to a basic product version, Full transparency (C) to open communication, and Focus on frequent delivery (D) to regular outputs---none inherently involve fixed time periods with completed objectives like Timeboxes.

Answer : D

Kotter's model for planning and leading organizational change is an eight-step model that describes how to initiate and sustain a successful change. The eight steps are:

Establishing a sense of urgency

Creating the guiding coalition

Developing a vision and strategy

Communicating the change vision

Empowering employees for broad-based action

Generating short-term wins

Consolidating gains and producing more change

Anchoring new approaches in the culture

Therefore, the first step of Kotter's model is establishing a sense of urgency.

Answer : C

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The APMG Change Management Foundation integrates neuroscience to explain resistance, including factors like those listed. A fixed mindset (per Carol Dweck) resists growth or change, believing abilities are static. Let's analyze each option in this context:

* Option A: 'Routine seeking' -- This reflects a preference for familiarity, a common resistance trigger (e.g., preferring old processes). While linked to comfort, it's not inherently a fixed mindset but a behavioral tendency, so it's not the best fit.

* Option B: 'Emotional reaction to forced change' -- This is a threat response (e.g., fear from SCARF's Certainty domain), driving resistance emotionally. It's situational, not a mindset, making it incorrect.

* Option C: 'Cognitive rigidity' -- This is the correct answer. Cognitive rigidity is the inability or unwillingness to adapt thinking, a hallmark of a fixed mindset. For example, someone insisting ''This is how we've always done it'' resists new learning, aligning with neuroscience on inflexible neural patterns and the APMG's focus on mindset barriers.

* Option D: 'Short-term focus' -- This prioritizes immediate results over long-term gains, a resistance factor, but it's a strategic choice, not a fixed mindset.

Option C best exemplifies a fixed mindset, as it directly ties to the neuroscience of entrenched thinking patterns that hinder change acceptance, a key resistance driver in the framework.

Answer : B

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Agile change management, as outlined in the APMG Change Management Foundation, emphasizes adaptability and responsiveness over rigid adherence to a single approach. Statement 1 ('They should take a single framework and apply it persistently') contradicts Agile principles, which advocate for iterative, flexible methods tailored to evolving circumstances rather than a one-size-fits-all framework. Statement 2 ('They should remain resilient, flexible, and willing to learn') aligns perfectly with Agile practitioner behaviours, as resilience supports perseverance through challenges, flexibility enables adaptation to change, and a willingness to learn fosters continuous improvement---all core tenets of Agile methodology. Thus, only Statement 2 is true.

Answer : B

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William Bridges' Transition Model is a key framework in the APMG Change Management Foundation, distinguishing between change (the external event) and transition (the internal psychological process). The model has three phases: Ending, Losing, Letting Go; Neutral Zone; and New Beginning. Let's evaluate each option with extensive detail:

* Option A: 'The planned actions required to make a change' -- This describes the mechanics of change (e.g., implementing a new system), not transition. Bridges focuses on the human experience, not logistical steps, so this is incorrect.

* Option B: 'The emotional process of adjusting to a change' -- This is the correct definition. Bridges emphasizes that transition is about how people emotionally and psychologically adapt to change. For example, when a company relocates, the change is the move, but the transition involves employees grieving the old office, feeling disoriented, and eventually embracing the new space. The APMG framework highlights this emotional journey as central to Bridges' model.

* Option C: 'The time elapsed between letting go of the old and experimenting with new ways' -- This partially aligns with the Neutral Zone phase but is too narrow. Transition encompasses the entire process (all three phases), not just a time segment, making this incomplete.

* Option D: 'The physical process of adopting new changes' -- This again focuses on external actions (e.g., using new tools), not the internal adjustment Bridges describes, so it's incorrect.

Option B captures the essence of Bridges' model: transition is an emotional, human-centered process, distinct from the tangible aspects of change. The APMG materials use this to explain why managing feelings---like resistance or hope---is critical during change initiatives.

Answer : C

The change severity assessment is a tool to evaluate the impact of a change on different dimensions, such as environment, organization, individuals, and project. The environment dimension considers the external and internal factors that affect the change, such as market conditions, competitors, regulations, culture, values, and behaviors. The amount of other activity happening at the same time as the change and the common values and behaviors in the organization are both factors that belong to the environment dimension. Reference: https://apmg-international.com/sites/default/files/Change%20Management%20Foundation%20Sample%20Paper%208%20-%20v1.0.pdf (page 11)