Developing Operational Change Management Capability

Technology organizations are encountering an unprecedented level of change and transformation. In addition to the volume, the speed of change and business expectations have pushed IT teams beyond change saturation. Examples of the multi-dimensional change being experienced includes:

• Sourcing – the decision to outsource IT services, switch incumbent partners and/or insource by building internal capabilities.
• Automation – decision to model business or IT process for the purpose of leveraging AI and robotic PA
• Methodology – adoption of collaborative service models including Agile and DevOps
• Delivery – Rapid expansion of Cloud and SaaS services
• Digital - Overhaul of customer experience and service delivery

CIO’s and technology leaders must be aware of the high probability teams are fatigued as the level of operational change will not slow, forcing the change agenda to be front and center to deliver the technology roadmap.

Technology leaders typical approach when initiating a large-scale initiative is to engage an Organizational Change Management (OCM) practitioner. The challenge that quickly becomes evident is the OCM practitioner, lacking knowledge and expertise in the targeted IT services, is unable to effectively address the depth or complexity required. In addition, organizations will declare success too early and release the OCM practitioner long before the change has been adopted or operational.

So how do technology organizations master this challenge and create the ability to absorb operational change and deliver superior results to the business?

Technology leaders must take ownership of creating an internal operational change management capability to support the extended period it takes to fully adopt the change and ultimately optimize the model. By building this internal capability, providing the necessary authority to drive the change agenda and select an operational change management methodology crafted specifically for technology organizations, sustainable results will be achieved and an effective transformation culture is reinforced.

• Empower Technology PMO and VMO team members to assume the responsibility to be technology change agents
• Provide them a structured operational change management methodology that supports the extended timeframe necessary to achieve sustainable change
• Embed the operational change management methodology within each technology program and ongoing BAU service
• Assign PMO and TVMO members the authority to ensure the target state is adopted and challenge resistance
• Delivery training for collaborative methodologies such as Agile and DevOps does not address the people impact of change. Make certain to support the individual change requirements to enhance productivity.

By building an internal operational change management capability, technology leaders will:

• Create high valued roles within the organization who influence performance and productivity
• Rapidly absorb change and deliver business results
• Build consistent response to transformation with standard methodology deployed and maintained by internal expertise with sensitivity to internal dynamics, delivering predictable results
• The ability to adopt and optimize operational change becomes the DNA of the technology organization.