How do you boost project performance and customer satisfaction with change management?

1 What is change management?

Change management is a structured approach to managing the human, technical, and organizational aspects of change in a project. It involves identifying the drivers, benefits, and impacts of change, communicating and engaging with stakeholders, preparing and supporting the project team and the end-users, and measuring and evaluating the change outcomes. Change management can help you reduce resistance, increase buy-in, and improve adoption of the project deliverables.

2 Why is change management important for project management?

Change management is essential for project management, as it can help you accomplish your objectives and deliver value to your customers. By incorporating change management, you can align your project scope, schedule, budget, and quality with the changing requirements and expectations of stakeholders. Additionally, it can manage the risks and issues associated with change, improve collaboration and communication among the team, sponsors, customers, and other stakeholders, increase the readiness and capability of the project team and end-users to implement and use the project deliverables, and ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the change after the project closure.

3 How to apply change management to your project management process?

You can apply change management to your project management process by defining the change vision and strategy, assessing the change impact and readiness, developing the change plan and roadmap, implementing and monitoring the change, and evaluating and sustaining the change. This involves clarifying the purpose, goals, benefits, and scope of the change, analyzing the current and future state of the project, outlining the activities, milestones, resources, and deliverables for managing the change, executing the change plan, engaging and empowering stakeholders, resolving issues and conflicts, tracking and reporting progress and performance, measuring and reviewing outcomes, identifying lessons learned and best practices, and ensuring continuous improvement.

4 What are the best practices for change management?

When it comes to change management, there are several best practices you should follow. It's important to involve stakeholders early and often, seek their input, feedback, and support throughout the process. Additionally, communicate the change vision, benefits, impacts, and plans clearly and consistently using multiple channels. Providing training and support is also essential for equipping project teams and end-users with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need. Finally, don't forget to celebrate and reward success by recognizing and appreciating the efforts of all involved and celebrating milestones and results.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?