A subject matter expert (SME) submitted a change request that the change control board (CCB) rejected. The SME refuses to accept the decision and will not continue without the change. What should the project manager have done to prevent this?

The project manager should have assessed the overall impact of the change on the project before submitting it. This proactive step would have allowed the project manager to understand the full implications (cost, schedule, resources, risks) of the change and potentially refine it, negotiate with the SME, or prepare a stronger justification for the CCB. Without this assessment, the SME's request might have appeared unvetted or poorly justified, leading to rejection. Requesting sponsor approval before submission is not standard practice; the CCB is the designated body. Ensuring alignment with project scope is important, but a change can be in scope yet still have a negative impact that leads to rejection. Submitting directly to the CCB is the correct process, but it doesn't prevent rejection if the change is not properly analyzed.