Change Management is the practice of ensuring business discipline, communication, and training / education are initiated, executed, and delivered as part of a project.
The Practical Project Manager ensures changes that will impact the organization are managed. These are the changes during the life of the project as well as the long-term organizational changes once the product is delivered. Projects often fail due to lack of focus on change management. Depending on the project, change management may represent 30-50% of the overall project budget.
A point of clarification: this article about the change a project will bring to an organization. Not "change control" or "ITSM Change Management" , meaning controlling the technical changes to a computer system.
Buy-in at all levels and phases
- Executive Sponsorship
- Steering Team
- Resource Managers
- Project Team Spirit: "we are doing the right thing"
- Engagement, awareness and sensitivity for stakeholders and people impacted by change
- During project initiation, identify who will be responsible for change management and the groups of people responsible for business discipline.
- During project execution, engage groups at appropriate intervals using appropriate methods depending on roles.
- Upon delivery and at project closure, ensure the long-term plan is in place for on-going governance.
Communication
Project Status and Product Adoption
- Daily, weekly, and periodic project status
- Generating excitement
- Project team environment, physical space, tools
- Working face-to-face, working virtually
- Handling bad news
- "Going Live"
- Project closure
- Post-production support
Training and Education
New People, Process, Technology
Often projects focus on product/technology development, for example a new website. In order for the new product to be effective, processes need to be developed and people need to be trained.
- Project team on-boarding and training
- Business process management ("BPM")
- Training plan, logistics, materials, coordination, delivery
- Production operations (in-house, outsource, administration)
- Impacts on individuals, job functions, results objectives
- Measurements of expected vs. actual change, change readiness, long term adoption
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Thanks Margaret.
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent information. As a PM, I often find myself caught up in the current issues. This blog is a concise reminder to make sure all the basics are covered. Hope to see more from you.
-Carol
DeleteTag: PM203A55. Let me share all of you about #5 Tips for Project Management Success,, I hope you enjoy it
1. Plan your day using time management techniques
As a project manager, time management skills are essential because you are dealing with a wide range of tasks that demand a quick turnaround time. Planning your day will go a long way in keeping you organized and increasing your productivity. Assist your task planning by using project management software which helps you track the work of you and your team.
If you are not very tech savvy, a simple to-do list can also be a great organizational tool. Prioritize your most important tasks by putting them at the top of the list and less important ones at the bottom. Having a visual plan of your daily tasks helps to keep you on track and aware of time.
Related post: Free ebook 104 secrets to become a great project manager
2. Include stakeholders in important project conversations
While you will have plenty of responsibilities regarding the project, don’t neglect your clients.
Good communication is essential is keeping both parties informed of project progression, curtailing scope creep, and apprised of changing requirements. Some clients may have different expectations when it comes to communication, so make sure to establish the frequency and type of communication (like emails, phone calls, and face-to-face conversations) at the beginning of your project.
Establishing communication expectations early helps alleviate stakeholder uncertainty about communication frequency and delivery.
3. Regularly communicate with your team
Daily team communication helps keep misunderstandings and unclear requirements under control. Keeping your team informed in every step of the project is essential to project management success.
For example, a study published by Procedia Technology found that good communication skills were the cornerstone of project management. The study examined over 300 “construction project managers, architects, construction managers, engineers and quantity surveyors” and their successes and failures on various construction projects.
4. Anticipate project setbacks
Even the best-laid plans often go awry.
Remember that even with a high amount of planning and attention to detail, your project may still encounter some challenges. Pay attention to complaints from stakeholders or colleagues, and other warning signs, like a missed deadline or cost overrun, that there may be a problem.
Preventing a crisis will keep your project running smoothly, save you a lot of time, and keep you, your team, and your stakeholders confident in progressing with the project.
Unfortunately not every complication can be avoided. Crisis management skills are essential for dealing with the unexpected. Project managers need to be flexible and pragmatic. Improvise and make sharp decisions when needed.
Related post: 92 free project management templates
5. Stay focused on the details
A common problem project managers encounter is having the project aims not aligned with the organization’s objectives. A great project manager will strategize a plan for the project to lead back to the overall success of the business.
Know your project’s scope by heart and avoid wandering outside of the project’s requirements. It’s too easy to get lost in minor details and forget what your focus is, so a well-planned project scope is essential for success.
And final, you should use KPI to measure effectiveness of the project, here are full list: 76 project management KPIs