Change management methodologiesPractical approaches to implementing change that deliver results and reap the benefitsOf all change management methodologies, the programme management based approach is the most likely to ensure that you avoid the 70% failure rate. However, first a word about project management. The role and position of project managementWhat is project management within the context of an organisational strategy? It is the dynamic management process that utilises the appropriate resources of an organisation in a controlled and structured manner, to achieve clearly defined objectives and to deliver a capability to meet an identified strategic need. Project management and change management methodologies In the context of a change initiative - what is project management? It is the delivery of the capability that with careful Programme Management will lead to the realisation of the business benefit envisaged in the organisational strategy. It is important to stress that in the context of change management methodologies, whilst project management is crucially important, good project management alone will not guarantee success. There are more components. Project management and programme management What is also needed is a more holistic perspective – that takes in the bigger picture. This is what programme management provides via a supplementary framework for change management methodologies that takes the longer and wider view of the management of any and all other activities that are necessary to ensure the realisation of the business benefits. Within the programme management process, project management is covered in the section The programme plan and project portfolio - see further down this page. However, for readers who just want to look at project management - here are the direct links to that section: Project management principles - 10 ways to make a project fail Project management methodologies - 8 ways to succeed Project management skills - 8 key factors Project management maturity model
The primary purpose of this siteMy objective with this site is to address the 3 questions: (1) What do I need to know?
The model that I am outlining here is particularly suited to organisations in the 200 - 2000 employee range who have little or no prior knowledge, insight or experience of programme management. However, it is important to emphasise that any organisation of any size or description, in any sector and in any geographic location in the world will benefit from a basic understanding and application of programme based change management methodologies because at root we are asking and addressing these simple questions:
(2) How's it going to be different when I've made the change? (3) Why am I doing this - how's it going to benefit me? (4) How will I know it's benefited me? (5) Who's it going to affect and how will they react? (6) What can I do to get them "on side"? (7) What are the risks and issues that I'll have to face? (8) What steps do I have to take to make the changes and get the benefit? This simple model is not [and is not intended to be] exhaustive and the focus is very deliberately on:
[There are other elements that I have deliberately omitted that are not critical at this stage, namely Finance, Quality, Configuration and Audit.]
The focus at this stage is on establishing simple workable basic principles of change management methodologies, and I am assuming that good leadership and management skills can manage and eventually close the programme. [At some future point I will be developing this simple model further, to encompass the full life cycle.]
I strongly believe and recommend that every organisation with 200+ staff should ensure that at least one senior member of the management team [with a focus on change management methodologies] is full trained in MSP [Managing Successful Programmes]. Full contact details and links are shown below. Key ResourcesBest Management Practice - MSP Managing Successful Programmes.Com MSP Official Site E-Programme - The Programme Management Website Project Smart - Programme Management JISC Infonet - Programme Management Good change management models and effective change management methodologies need to take into account technology, organisation and culture.You can learn more here at - People and Process." An excellent resource providing an insightful perspective.
Recap: Why is a programme based approach to change so important?
(1) It is holistic and takes a wider perspective. (2) It focuses you on addressing issues and aspects that otherwise get overlooked. (3) It addresses the people impacts and issues arising as a direct and indirect result of your change initiative. 2 Reasons why programme management evolved from and is distinct from project management(1) Managing complexity across multiple projectsProgramme management as a discipline evolved from project management. It evolved in response to the complexity of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
The military learned to think of weapons as systems that can be disaggregated into smaller subsystems and components, developed at the subsystem level, and then integrated into a final holistic system through a multi-disciplinary approach. For major corporates managing large multiple projects, a programme managment approach will greatly facilitate the timely and successful delivery of these projects. And in this scenario, that alone is a good enough reason for using this approach. However, the ability to manage complexity is not the only major benefit, and even when there is no great multiplicity of projects and complexity to manage, there is another excellent reason - and that is do with the holistic aspects that lead to benefit realisation. (2) Realising the organisational benefits - from the delivery of the new capabilityAnother strand to the development of Programme Management in the UK has been the UK Government sponsored Office of Government Commerce, which has invested heavily in programme management.
A major focus of M.S.P. [and which in my view takes it beyond the project focus from which it originated] is the realisation of benefits. In other words, successfully delivering the new capabilities via a well delivered and coordinated "systems engineering/thinking" approach is no longer enough. An M.S.P. based approach has as it goal, the full realisation of the business benefits [that will be derived from the delivery of the new capability]. In my view, this is a very big shift in emphasis. It is this holistic approach that links vision to strategy and all the way through to implementation and successful benefit realisation. This is why I have based so much of my whole approach to successful change management methodologies on a programme based approach to leading and managing change. Programme Management
Programme Management Maturity ModelsProgramme Management Maturity Model - An Overview Programme Management Maturity Model - Full Length Version Maturity Model - Self Assessment Gartner Program Portfolio Maturity Model
All of the key management process steps to creating your change programmeFor full details of each stage of Pre Programme Review and Planning and setting up a simple Programme Structure please follow each of the following links sequentially. Before we move into the Pre Programme Review and Planning phase I would like to draw your attention to - and ask you to read - the section on Organisations and Culture [shown on the links below] as this really is the key to understanding the Pre Programme Review and Planning Process and getting the best out of your change management methodologies. Organisations and Culture Pre Programme Planning and Review Create a Programme Programme organisation structure Blueprint Benefit Profile and Management Stakeholder Analysis and Mapping Communication Strategy Programme Plan and Project Portfolio Risk Management Programme Implementation Leading your people through change, putting it all together and managing the whole messy businessLooking at the bigger picture, the Practitioners' Masterclass Looking at the bigger picture, the Practitioners' Masterclass emphasises the need for change management methodologies that bridge the gap that exists [with most popular change models] between the high level “big-picture” strategic vision and a successful implementation at the front-line. To fill this strategy–project gap, and as outlined above, I have adapted some of the core concepts and processes of programme management that directly address these missing areas, added a preliminary cultural analysis combined with a pre-programme review and planning process utilising my EEMAP process©, to create a simple, programme-based approach to change management methodologies. This is broader in scope than a typical “project led”, "task oriented" approach, as it addresses the human factors and deals directly with the commonest causes of failure. Change is a messy business fraught with complexity, multiple factors and many things that can, and usually do, go wrong. Overall, there are 3 broad areas that need to be included in any successful change initiative, namely:
And all of this is examined, co-related and integrated with the other key areas leading your people through change, putting it all together and managing the whole messy business. To equip yourself, stay one step ahead with the tools and processes that will enable you to manage the messy stuff - check out the Practitioners' Masterclass [or click on the image to the right].
Putting all this into practise
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