Change Management In Project, Portfolio and Program Management

A short reference

Change Management Who is the agent of change? Look around at the people next to you and you will realize you are all agents of change. People are the key to change. A big part of project management is managing the change that the project produces. There must be senior-level support, communication, superior team members, and teamwork based on truthfulness. A project cannot succeed without executive support both in words and actions. Change has to be planned. Senior management must know the message they want to convey and who is to receive that message. It is important to have the right people doing the right job. It is also essential for those affected by the change to understand why the changes are taking place, the value of the changes, and how the changes will benefit them. Change can be facilitated through newsletters, meetings, e-mails, focus groups, formal training, and town hall meetings. It is essential that all involved have a thorough understanding of the change that is about to take place. Before change is to take place, you must first know what you want to change, how you want to change it, where you are right now, and how will you measure success. You must also know who will be affected by the change and how they will be affected. It is imperative to realize that not all people accept change willingly. For some change can be stressful and upsetting. The goal of change management is to bring about change without upsetting the organization. Involve your people in the process of developing a change management plan and a process of educating and informing the organization. Let those affected by the change be part of planning the change process. Research has produced many theories, opinions, and viewpoints of change management processes. Below is a chart that summarizes the phases, activities, and key deliverables of change project management. Change Project Management The Next Step: System Components Phases/Activities/Kev Deliverables Break through Analysis Common Understanding of the Change Explore Perceptions (Pros/Cons) Explore Consequences of Supporting Change Change issues / Communication Action Items

Stake holder Analysis Perceptions Positions Relationships Leverage Points Risk Factors

Planning / Monitoring Complexity Resistance Team/Sponsor capabilities Org Impacts Monitoring Mechanism

Foundation for Change Vision/Mission Clarity Communication Approach New constituents Success Metrics

Launch Communication Campaign Messages & Presentations Project Kickoff Implementation Kickoff

Readiness Organization Assessment Employee Assessment

Organization Discovery

Scope Work Plan

Communication Plan

Communication Campaign Execution

Change issues / Action Items

According to Canterucci there are six phases of change management. 1. Stakeholder analysis This is the discovery stage determining the stakeholders, their perceptions, risk factors, relationships, and so on. 2. Planning and monitoring It is in this stage that the project team is identified, along with possible resistance to the change and organizational impact. 3. Building the foundation for change It is in this stage that the change is identified, the value of the change is clarified, and a logical message is communicated to the stakeholders. 4. Launching the communication campaign It is through this communication that information is shared (with the goal of changing behavior). 5. Change breakthrough analysis It is the goal of this stage to help the stakeholders be less emotional and more logical regarding the change. 6. Change readiness This is the final stage to make certain that the stakeholders are properly trained and ready to embrace the new work environment.