Taking the confusion out of change management

The term change management is sometimes met with blank stares and confusion. The aim of this blog is to take the confusion out of change management and provide a real-world example of how it can improve the outcome of a technology implementation project.

Change management is essentially about managing people during change. There are tools and techniques that we (change managers) use to evaluate people during change. Based on our evaluation and expertise, we then make recommendations for engaging and managing those people in order that they successfully participate and navigate the change.

It is important not to fall into the trap of assuming that people will happily participate in a technology change.

Recently, I worked with a customer that decided not to include change management in their technology implementation. Early in the implementation, the customer revealed the stakeholders were refusing to participate in the change. They reached out to us for assistance in managing their stakeholder relationships.

We responded by conducting a Stakeholder Analysis. The Analysis identified all the stakeholders who have an interest or influence in the technology implementation and strategies to manage their expectations or involvement during the implementation. The Analysis enabled the customer to identify their key stakeholders and understand why some showed resistance. Identifying these factors enabled the customer to put strategies in place to manage each stakeholder in a way that suited them. The customer reported a “light bulb” moment where they gained an appreciation for the complexities of working with people who are impacted by change. In turn, they understood the value of change management to their organisation.

Data^#3 operates under a Change Management Framework.

Based on industry best practice, the Framework includes:

• Case for Change – a compelling business reason for the change that is used to motivate people to participate and support the change.
• Impact Assessment – an assessment of the employee groups who will be impacted by the change, how their day-to-day work will be impacted, and strategies to support them as they navigate the change.
• Stakeholder Analysis – an identification of all the stakeholders who have an interest or influence in the change and strategies to manage their expectations or involvement.
• Organisational Readiness Assessment – an assessment of the organisation’s capacity to absorb the change.
• Training Needs Analysis – an analysis of the gap between employees’ current knowledge, skills and abilities and the knowledge, skills and abilities they require to operate effectively in the changed state.
• Training Plan – an outline of the training to be delivered to employee groups to ensure they are equipped to operate effectively in the changed state.
• Communication and Engagement Plan – an outline of all the communication and engagement activities to be delivered to employee and stakeholder groups to ensure they are informed about the technology change, how it will impact them, and how they will be supported as they navigate the change.
• Adoption Plan or Deployment Plan – a strategy document for the phased deployment of a set of technologies based on organisational readiness and requirements.
• Change Management Plan – a strategy document outlining the change management approach and its alignment with organisational objectives.

It is important to understand change and its impact to your people. Our Change Management Framework takes the ambiguity out of change management and provides a clear, structured approach based on industry best practice.

Partner with us to complete the entire Framework, or any part that suits your needs. We will ensure that your people are in the best position to successfully navigate your next change.