Change Management in

Project Management Language

You can build greater buy-in and understanding of change management with project managers and
project teams if you speak their language. Nelson Mandela once said: If you talk to a man in a language
he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. While
the recognition of the value of change management has grown in recent years, there is an application
gap. By translating the work of change management into project management language you can create
a bridge between the two vital areas of practice.

Intent
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

Determined and purposeful state of mind accompanying

an act. (www.businessdictionary.com)

To drive and capture the portion of project benefits that depend on adoption
and usage.

Objective
Project Management Definition:
Something toward which work is to be directed, a strategic
position to be attained, or a purpose to be achieved, a result
to be obtained, a product to be produced, or a service to be
performed. (PMI PMBOK Guide)

For Change Management:

Improve employee adoption and usage of the solution to drive project
results and outcomes.
Create a customized and scaled approach that aligns with the project
lifecycle and milestones.
Create deliverables (strategy and five plans) that support individual
attainment of the key milestones of successful transition (ADKAR).

Scope
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

The work that must be performed to deliver a product, service,

or result with the specified features and functions.
(PMI PMBOK Guide)

In the scope of change management:

Identify and define the individual changes required by the project
Create a change management strategy
Develop customized, scaled, targeted, best practice based plans
(communications, sponsor, coaching, training, resistance management)
Create adoption and usage metrics
Out of scope:
Define the change at hand
Create the technical solution

Work Streams
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

The progressive completion of tasks completed by different

groups within a company which are required to finish a single
project. (www.businessdictionary.com)

Change management has two work streams:

Individual Change Management Work Stream:
Milestones needed for a single person to make a change successfully.
Answering the question: how does a single person make a change
successfully?
Organizational Change Management Work Stream:
Deliverables (strategy and plans) that support individual transitions.
Answering the question: what can the team do to support the individual
transitions?

Milestones
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

Scheduled event that indicates the completion of a major

deliverable event (or a set thereof) of a project. Milestones
are measurable and observable and serve as progress
markers (flags). (www.businessdictionary.com)

The milestones of change management are the building blocks of successful

change. The Prosci ADKAR Model defines the five building blocks - or
milestones - of a successful individual transition as:

Awareness of the need for change

Desire to participate and support the change
Knowledge on how to change
Ability to implement the required sills and behaviors
Reinforcement to sustain the change

Deliverables
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

Any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to

perform a service that must be produced to complete a
process, phase, or project.
(PMI PMBOK Guide)

The deliverables of change management are created by applying a structured

approach. The Prosci 3-Phase Process includes the following deliverables:
Phase 1 - Preparing for Change
Assessments and risk profile
Change management strategy
Supporting structures (team and sponsor model)
Phase 2 - Managing Change

Communications plan
Sponsor roadmap
Coaching plan
Training plan
Resistance management plan

Phase 3 - Reinforcing Change

Feedback plan
Compliance audit plan
Recognitions and rewards

Input
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

Any item, whether internal or external to the project that is

required by a process before that process proceeds.
(PMI PMBOK Guide)

The input to the change management process is a defined change in the

organization that will impact how individuals do their jobs. The input can be
a small, incremental change or a large, radical change.

New IT hardware or software system

Business process optimization
Reorganization
Enterprise Resource Planning deployment
New product launch or market expansion

Output
Project Management Definition:

For Change Management:

A product, result, or service generated by a process. May be

an input to a successor process.
(PMI PMBOK Guide)

There are two main outputs of applying change management. At the individual
level, the output is successful transitions (through ADKAR) which result in
higher levels of adoption and usage of the solution by employees. At the
project level, the output is greater benefit realization, results and outcomes
delivery, return on investment and overall success.

1100, 736 6th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2P 3T7

403.234.8960

ethier.ca
info@ethier.ca