Integrating Change Management Practices

As a change professional, you will need to ensure that those creating the changes via project teams understand what you do and about integrating change management practices with their project plan.

Integrating change management practices is one of the fundamental elements in successful organisational change. I have written a downloadable detailed description of how to create this integrated plan, but if you want to share the key learning points with busy project and program teams, I have provided some key points below. 

Tips for Integrating Change Management Practices

Here are my top tips for integrating change management practices.  

1. Recognising Change Activities:

1. • Underestimating the effort required for change leads to unrealistic expectations of available time for regular tasks.

1. • Accurate reporting of change-related work is crucial to avoid overloading employees and to provide a realistic view of organisational capacity for change.

2. Need for Honest Discussion:

1. • Transparent communication about the work involved in change initiatives is essential for realistic planning and support from senior management.

3. Integrated Project and Change Plans:

1. • Combining project and change management activities into one plan ensures coordination and mutual support between project teams and end users.

1. • Early involvement of users with prototypes helps shape new processes and ensures smoother transitions.

4. Difference Between Project Plan and Change Plan:

1. • Project Plan: Focuses on creating deliverables.

1. • Change Plan: Ensures the adoption of these deliverables, helping individuals transition from old to new ways of working.

5. Importance of Change Plans:

1. • Necessary for both waterfall and Agile projects to help assimilate deliverables and speed up the transition to new ways of working.

1. • Integrated plans mitigate risks and ensure the realisation of benefits from project deliverables.

6. Contents of a Change Plan:

1. • Endings: Activities explaining the need for change and helping people understand and mourn their losses.

1. • Neutral Zone: Where change happens through participation, workshops, and practice, requiring extensive support.

1. • New Beginnings: Formalising new ways of working, updating processes, and removing old systems.

7. Need for Preparation, Engagement, and Measurement:

1. • Preparation: Planning the scope, resources, and roles for the change.

1. • Engagement: Involving stakeholders through training, workshops, and feedback sessions.

1. • Measurement: Tracking participation and progress to ensure successful adoption.

8. Individual and Organisational Change Plans:

1. • Organisational plans manage and track overall change activities.

1. • Individual plans help each person transition to new ways of working, which is crucial for actualising change.

9. Emotional and Competence Transition:

1. • The transition from unconscious competence in old methods to conscious incompetence in new ones requires time, practice, and support.

1. • Emotional responses to change vary; plans must address negative emotions and support individuals through the transition.

10. Risk Management through Change Plans:

1. • Change management activities reduce the risk of disruption and ensure the benefits of new ways of working are realised.

11. Challenges of Resource Planning:

1. • Understanding of change impacts develops over time, complicating resource estimation.

1. • Change plans must adapt as new insights and requirements emerge.

12. Role of Communication and Collaboration:

1. • A continuous dialogue with all stakeholders is essential for refining and successfully implementing change plans.

1. • Collaboration ensures that change activities are relevant and adequately supported.

These points outline the essential components and considerations for integrating effective change management, emphasising the need for integrated planning, transparent communication, and adaptive strategies to support individuals and organisations through transitions.

Agile Change Management and Integrating Changes

If you would like to invest in change management for your organisation, take a look at the courses offered by Agile Change Management. You can study in your own time with the self-paced online learning option, or if you prefer to be part of a lead group, there is an option for virtual classroom learning.