Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: How to Write an Organizational Change Management Plan
• Method 2 of 2: How to track changes in any project
• Recommendations

There are two types of change management plans. One of them takes into account the impact of change on the organization and aims to support the transition period. Another type of plan allows you to track the progress of a single project, capture deviations or changes in the course and scale of the project. The goal of both plan is to clearly and clearly articulate what exactly needs to be done.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: How to Write an Organizational Change Management Plan

1. 1 State the reasons for the change. List those factors that influenced the decision to implement the change, such as low productivity, new technology, or a change in the organization's mission.
   • One of the approaches is to describe the current situation in the organization and what state in the future it will lead to the outlined plan.
2. 2 Specify the type and scale of changes. Briefly describe the nature of the expected changes within the project. State exactly what the change will affect: job responsibilities, processes, policy and / or organizational structure. List the departments, teams, systems and other components of the organization that will be affected by the upcoming changes.
3. 3 Indicate which stakeholder supports this project. List all stakeholders that will be impacted by the implementation of this plan, such as senior management, project manager, project sponsor, end users and / or company employees. For each category, indicate whether these stakeholders support the change project.
   • Try to reflect this information in the table for greater clarity and clarity. For example, metrics such as awareness, support, and influence can be taken as a useful template and ranked as high / medium / low for each stakeholder group.
   • If possible, conduct face-to-face interviews to build stakeholder support.
4. 4 Create a change management team. This team is responsible for communicating information to all stakeholders, listening to their concerns, and ensuring that changes are implemented as smoothly as possible. Choose people who are trusted and respected in the organization and who have good communication skills.
   • This also applies to the senior management level. Emphasize leaders' attention that they will be required to not only agree on a plan, but also actively promote change.
5. 5 Develop a conceptual approach to managing the organization. The full support of influencers in the organization is critical to the successful implementation of change. Let each leader have their say on change and encourage everyone to play an active role in bringing about successful change.
6. 6 Make a plan for each stakeholder group. Assess the risks and concerns of each stakeholder group, including those supporting change. Divide the tasks between the members of the change management team to work through these issues.
7. 7 Make a communications plan. Communication is the most important component of change management. Communicate as often as possible with everyone involved in the change process. Relentlessly emphasize the reasons for the change and the benefits it will bring.
   • Interested parties should be able to communicate in person to ensure two-way communication. Face-to-face meetings are essential.
   • The source of information should be the senior management sponsor, each employee's line manager, and any additional company representative who is trusted by the stakeholders. All information should be carried out in a unified manner.
8. 8 Track resistance. Changes are always received with hostility. This happens on an individual level, so talk to stakeholders in person to identify the root cause of resistance. Track grievances and complaints so the change management team can resolve issues in a timely manner. The most common problems of this nature include:
   • Lack of motivation to change or lack of a sense of urgency.
   • Lack of understanding of the big picture or the reasons why changes are needed.
   • Lack of input to the process.
   • Uncertainty about the future, future responsibilities, or requirements for future responsibilities.
   • Failure of management to meet expectations regarding implementation of changes or communication.
9. 9 Remove obstacles. The response to most grievances should be additional information or changes in the communication strategy about specific issues. In other cases, additional steps may be required that should be included in your plan or left to the change management team to implement as needed. Consider which of the following may be relevant to your organization:
   • In the event of changes in job responsibilities or work processes, it is necessary to focus on staff training.
   • If you're expecting a drop in team morale or an overly stressful transition to a new environment, defuse the atmosphere with a corporate event or employee reward.
   • If stakeholders are not motivated to change, develop an incentive system.
   • If stakeholders feel overboard, hold a meeting to get their feedback and adjust your plan accordingly.

Method 2 of 2: How to track changes in any project

1. 1 Define roles in change management. List all the roles that are required for this project. Describe the responsibilities and skills required for each role. At a minimum, include a project manager, who must implement changes on a daily basis, and a project sponsor, who must track overall progress and make decisions about change management at the management level.
   • For larger projects in a large organization, you will need to split the project management role among several people with different backgrounds.
2. 2 Use the change control panel. Projects in software typically have a change control dashboard that can be accessed by members of each stakeholder group. Such software allows for automatic reconciliation of change requests, eliminating this responsibility of the project manager, as well as informing stakeholders about decisions. This approach works well in projects with a large number of stakeholders, as well as in those projects that require regular revision of the scope and objectives of the project.
3. 3 Develop a process for implementing change requests. Consideration needs to be given to how the idea translates into reality when someone on the team identifies the next step needed. Describe this process and coordinate it with the entire team in advance. Here's an example:
   • A team member fills out a change request form and forwards this request to the project manager.
   • The project manager registers this request in the general list of requests and notes the status of the request when a decision is made to implement an idea or abandon it.
   • The manager issues the task of a team member to draw up a more specific plan, taking into account the required resources.
   • The project manager sends the plan for approval to the project sponsor.
   • The change is being implemented. Interested parties are regularly informed about the current situation.
4. 4 Create a change request form. Each change request must be registered in the general list of requests and include the following:
   • the date of the change request;
   • Change request number assigned by the project manager
   • name and description;
   • requestor's name, email address and telephone number;
   • priority (high, medium, low). Immediate change management plans require a clear timeline;
   • product and version number (for software development projects).
5. 5 Record additional information in the request log. The request log should also reflect the current decision and implementation measures. In addition to the information specified in the request form, the following data should also be contained here:
   • a mark on the results of the approval (approved or canceled);
   • the signature of the person who approved the request;
   • the term of implementation of the change;
   • the completion date of the change project.
6. 6 Track major changes. In addition to keeping track of the status of a project on a daily basis, it will be helpful to record all major decisions for a given project. Records such as these make it easier to track long-term projects or projects in the course of which leadership changes are taking place. This information is also used to inform clients and senior management. For any changes in the timing, scope or requirements of a project, priorities or strategy, please note the following information:
   • Who made the decision.
   • When the decision was made.
   • A brief description of the reasons for the decision and the implementation process. Attach all documents related to this process.

Recommendations

• Build trust and commitment among both your employees and customers. Changes tend to make people feel uncomfortable. Demonstrating to people that you are committed to acting in their best interest can help you gain their support.