The change control board (CCB) reports a change request submitted by a subject matter expert (BNF). The SME relates to except the injection and does not want to continue the project without the change. What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?

While obtaining sponsor approval is important, it does not address the root cause of the situation. If the project manager had assessed the change's impact beforehand, it may have been unnecessary to involve the sponsor at that early stage, potentially streamlining the process.

Aligning a change request with the project scope is crucial, but it is a step that should follow an assessment of the change's overall impact. Without understanding the implications of the change, the project manager cannot effectively determine if it aligns with the project goals, making this step insufficient for preventing the situation.

Submitting directly to the change control board (CCB) bypasses essential preliminary assessments, such as evaluating the change's impact. This could lead to delays or complications if the request is not adequately justified or understood, which is not appropriate for maintaining project momentum.