Change management
ABSTRACT
Change management runs through every aspect of a project and business. If proper communication and standardization are not implemented throughout the entire organization, change management can fail, and cause projects to fail along with it. However, it can be difficult to successfully implement the golden thread of change management without the necessary people, processes, and technology in place. These three pillars, along with five key criteria, should be part of any new change management procedure. When carried out correctly, this golden thread of change management results in significant time and cost savings, as well as increased project performance, due to transparency, visibility, and greater efficiencies.
INTRODUCTION
Every project has a transactional change control component embedded into it. Therefore, every company that executes projects is already dealing with change and the management of change, separate from any organizational change transformation that may take place.
The problem is that the majority of organizations are trying to use spreadsheets as their mechanism for tracking and managing change, and when it comes to change management, spreadsheets have two major failings. First, they do not accurately reflect the complexity that change can have on medium-to-large projects. Second, they are unable to provide the big picture and historical context of the change, as well as the knock-on effect on other systems and aspects of the project.
Organizations need a robust change management procedure that supports communication with all stakeholders, both inside and across the organizational boundary. Strong governance and a clear audit trail are crucial parts of the administration of change management on major capital programs. Without a consistent thread running through the entire project environment, assessing and managing the impacts of change becomes unwieldy. In fact, understanding how to implement structured change management processes, procedures and controls successfully can make the difference between whether or not a project succeeds.
Section I of this white paper discusses the importance of the golden thread, and Section II touches on the difficulties that companies face when implementing it. Section III and IV cover the factors of a successful implementation and how long it typically takes to be adopted. Section V provides the benefits of utilizing the golden thread, and, finally, Section VI will provide a real-life example of these benefits.
CONCLUSION
Structured change management processes and procedures are imperative for the success of a project and an organization. In order for these systems to be successful, more than just advanced technology is needed. The five key factors discussed in Section III are critical for the successful implementation of the golden thread in businesses and organizations. Also, for the system to have lasting success, the three pillars covered in Section II need to be in place. A lack of any of these components can cause change management to fail. If these key factors and pillars are successfully integrated, change management can create significant benefits for a company, including improved decision making, streamlined processes, reduced administration, and improved transparency and project visibility. This translates to better-performing projects, improved margins and schedules, and more satisfied customers.
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