David McLachlan’s latest video breaks down ten predictive PMP and CAPM-style questions, offering a focused review of traditional project management principles. The video leans heavily into waterfall methodology while introducing adaptive thinking where appropriate. Topics include change control, systems thinking, hybrid tailoring, and earned value analysis.
It opens with a scenario requiring proper handling of a potential scope change—emphasizing the need to evaluate impacts on cost, schedule, and scope through the formal change control process. A follow-up question illustrates how project deliverables interact within a larger system, highlighting the role of systems thinking in project planning and execution.
McLachlan then explores hybrid lifecycles, recommending predictive methods for fixed requirements and adaptive for evolving features—underscoring tailoring as a key skill for modern project managers. He moves into quality management, calling out the importance of continuous testing to uncover issues early rather than deferring to end-stage inspections.
A risk management question reinforces the need to update the risk register post-analysis, adding new risks, priorities, and planned responses. The distinction between risks and issues is also clarified. Leadership and power dynamics are tested next, with scenarios exploring transactional leadership and expert power as situationally effective tools in managing teams.
A review of PMO types compares supportive, controlling, and directive models, pointing out how each provides varying levels of influence. Earned value questions tie together planned value, actual cost, and percent complete—pushing for variance analysis to diagnose performance issues.
The session wraps with phase gate reviews, reinforcing the value of checkpoint reviews before moving between project phases. One final scenario places scope finalization and resource estimation firmly in the planning process group, cementing process group awareness as a testable concept. The video’s commentary builds exam readiness by focusing not just on answers, but on the logic behind them.