CIS Client Communication & Change Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client's executive sponsor becomes unresponsive during a critical phase of the implementation. What is the BEST first step?
- Escalate immediately to the client's board of directors
- Engage the sponsor's direct reports to proceed without approval
- Send a formal communication documenting the impact of the delay and request a meeting (Correct answer)
- Pause all implementation activities until the sponsor responds
Correct answer: Send a formal communication documenting the impact of the delay and request a meeting
Formally documenting the impact creates a paper trail and presents a clear business case for re-engagement without overstepping boundaries.
Question 2: Which change management model emphasizes creating a sense of urgency as the critical first step?
- ADKAR
- McKinsey 7-S
- Kotter's 8-Step Model (Correct answer)
- Prosci PCMM
Correct answer: Kotter's 8-Step Model
Kotter's 8-Step Model begins with 'Create a Sense of Urgency' to motivate stakeholders and overcome complacency.
Question 3: During an implementation, a department manager claims they were never informed about the new system requirements. What should the implementation specialist review first?
- Project risk register
- Communication plan and distribution records (Correct answer)
- Change request log
- Project charter
Correct answer: Communication plan and distribution records
The communication plan and its distribution records show who was targeted for each communication and confirm whether notifications were actually sent.
Question 4: A client wants to add significant new features mid-implementation without adjusting the timeline. How should the specialist respond?
- Accept the changes to maintain client satisfaction
- Reject the changes to protect the project scope
- Perform an impact analysis and present the trade-offs to decision-makers (Correct answer)
- Delegate the decision to the project manager
Correct answer: Perform an impact analysis and present the trade-offs to decision-makers
An impact analysis quantifies the effect on schedule, cost, and risk, enabling informed decision-making rather than arbitrary acceptance or rejection.
Question 5: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a Change Advisory Board (CAB) in an IT implementation?
- To approve the project budget for changes
- To review and authorize changes to minimize risk (Correct answer)
- To communicate changes to end users
- To train staff on new system features
Correct answer: To review and authorize changes to minimize risk
A CAB evaluates proposed changes for risk and impact, then authorizes or rejects them to protect system stability.
Question 6: Which communication style is MOST effective when presenting implementation status to C-suite executives?
- Detailed technical specifications and data logs
- Concise summaries focused on business outcomes and key risks (Correct answer)
- Comprehensive project plans with all task-level details
- Informal verbal updates during casual meetings
Correct answer: Concise summaries focused on business outcomes and key risks
Executives need high-level business impact and risk information to make decisions, not granular technical details.
Question 7: A stakeholder resists the new system, claiming it will increase their workload. What is the MOST effective initial response?
- Explain that the system is mandatory and resistance is futile
- Acknowledge their concern and schedule a session to demonstrate workflow improvements (Correct answer)
- Escalate the resistance to HR as a compliance issue
- Exclude them from further project communications to avoid disruption
Correct answer: Acknowledge their concern and schedule a session to demonstrate workflow improvements
Acknowledging concerns validates the stakeholder's perspective and creating a demonstration addresses resistance with evidence rather than authority.
CIS Client Communication & Change Management 2
A client's executive sponsor becomes unresponsive during a critical phase of the implementation.
What is the BEST first step?