Change Management is the practice of ensuring business discipline, communication, and training / education are initiated, executed, and delivered as part of a project. Please see the introductory change management blog.
Once the change is defined through business discipline, a solid communication approach, and an agreement to provide thorough training and education, The Practical Project Manager executes a life cycle for change: readiness, planning, execution, and long term sustainment.
Change Management Life Cycle
Steps for implementing change
Readiness: Solicit feedback to determine root cause problems, ideation on potential solutions, and human factors. Determine if the organization risk and opportunity tolerance can bear the proposed change.
Plan: Determine executive support, sponsors, and change agents. Define clear roles and responsibilities. A "Responsibility Assignment Matrix (aka RAM or RACI) can be used. Agree the timeline and costs through a detailed work schedule. A Gantt Chart can be used.
Execute Change: Begin activities to implement the change. This is done through a detailed communication plan which addresses who, what, when, where, why, how, and from whom the message is to be sent and received. Write documentation to support a training and education track. This can be in the form of presentations, gifts, posters, event material, online material, job aids, business process maps, etc. Provide clear opportunities for impacted people to understand the change. Conduct training sessions, classes, conference calls, webcasts, surveys, self-study courses, events, lunch and learn sessions, etc.
Execute Change: Begin activities to implement the change. This is done through a detailed communication plan which addresses who, what, when, where, why, how, and from whom the message is to be sent and received. Write documentation to support a training and education track. This can be in the form of presentations, gifts, posters, event material, online material, job aids, business process maps, etc. Provide clear opportunities for impacted people to understand the change. Conduct training sessions, classes, conference calls, webcasts, surveys, self-study courses, events, lunch and learn sessions, etc.
Long-Term Sustainment: Implement tools and processes to measure effect of change over time through quantifiable metrics. Ensure the metrics selected are easy to define, understand, collect, and are sustainable over time. Determine the level of satisfaction qualitatively through interviews or surveys. Be prepared for course correction if the change did not result in the desired result.
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