Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

One topic in my series of articles on music themed to project management that I have not addressed is Change Management. What better way to introduce this than in memory of David Bowie and his brilliant song Changes.

 Changes was released on Bowie’s 1971 Hunky Dory album and is regarded by many as one of his best known songs even though it was never a huge chart success. Not only did he write and sing vocals he also played the saxophone on the song.

 Change Management is perhaps one of the most challenging work streams in any new IT system implementation. Some may regard it as the most important because unless the many facets of Change Management are addressed the probability of the new system delivering the benefits expected will be significantly reduced. User acceptance will be low, productivity will be low and no doubt business performance will suffer, perhaps showing through employee morale and performance or through customer satisfaction, or both. Change Management is really about the employees isn’t it?

 However, let me acknowledge that if 5 people are asked to define Change Management we are likely to get 5 different answers. So for the purpose of this article I will simply scope Change Management to mean “addressing the impact of an IT systems change to an organisation”

 So what are the facets of Change Management in this context? To answer that I recall a Change Management stream of work where the Project Manager, no not me! very conscientiously set up a project library on commencement of the Change workstream. It had over 50 folders.  How many in the Change team you ask? Not that many as I recall.  Apart from not remembering what was where, and finding material 2 or 3 nestings down how can one possibly manage and keep up with the volume and supposed scope of the documentation. A rhetorical question of course.

 Two key points I want to make based on my experience with some very capable Change people.

The first is clearly articulate the scope of what will be addressed by the Change program and get that well documented and agreed by the appropriate stakeholders.  My view of priority is to have a three focus; a communications strategy and plan, a training strategy and plan with both linked to a business impact assessment statement. And, these reflecting both the technical and people aspect of change.

 My second point is about the people and their skill sets that are to be employed in the Change team.

Yes, I fully expect there will be some internal staff assigned to the Change team but I believe the most successful change programs are delivered by experienced change professionals. I cannot resist quoting the adage; if you think a professional is expensive wait to you see what it costs to use amateurs.

 Also, make sure you have the correct number of staff in the change team. I have seen a well structured team where the resource profile was planned in advance, the right people with the right skills were hired and then again I have seen a change team where people were added on an ad hoc basis or whenever it seems there was a crisis. I feel I am stating the obvious but I know from experience the latter is happening.

 Bowie was very talented and accomplished as I expect we all know, not only as a singer, songwriter with over 700 songs credited to him but also as a musician, playing saxophone, guitar, piano and violin to name a few. Change doesn’t come easy except perhaps to the very talented and frequently it even requires many years of dedication to become talented. Change programs do not have many years so do ensure the right things, people, processes and plans, are in place to bring about a successful Change program.

 About the Author:

Michael has over 25 years experience in leadership roles in prominent customer and vendor organizations working in the UK, Canada, Australia, South Korea and Hong Kong in the Airline, Banking, and Telecommunications sectors.