Change management

Leading and managing

So often change initiatives fail because they can be unmanageable, disruptive, and poorly planned. This is why it is important to have clear models, clear frames of references and clear processes in place.

In 2010 NTU developed a change management tool to be used across the University to support the planning and implementation of projects.

The tool draws primarily on the Lewin, Kotter and McKinsey change models and it identifies four stages of change (Anticipate, Plan, Implement and Embed) and summarises actions that need to be considered at each stage under a number of key areas (e.g. Leadership, Communication, Systems).

The tool is intended to be used as a guide and a checklist to those leading, planning and managing change to ensure that all key aspects of change management are considered as change projects are planned and undertaken. Additional supporting documentation which accompanies this tool will be accessible from NOW shortly.

	Anticipate	Plan	Implement	Embed and review
Vision	Create shared vision. Define current and future state. Establish need for change and benefits of change.	Define how projects will contribute to delivery of vision.	Ensure that benefits of future state are consistently at heart of project.	Benefits assessment. Progress towards achieving vision reviewed. Feed into review of vision.
Key Performance Indicators	Define the issues and anticipated outcomes. Measure the right things. Set challenging standards.	Establish detailed key performance indicators against which to measure outcomes.	Measure progress towards targets.	Achievement against key performance indicators reviewed. Identify lessons learned.
Leadership	High level leadership activity. Identify leaders of change and champions. Prepare to model change.	Empower change teams to take ownership and deliver.	Support change team in removing barriers/managing risks. Behaving in the new way. Role modelling.	Recognise and reward achievements, celebrate success. Move into business as usual.
Management	Business case and initial phase led by SMT. Identify impact on other projects, dependencies.	Establish the change team, assign roles, plan project (project team). Skill up management and staff to deliver.	Deliver project. Manage teams. Test, trial and implement changes. Engage staff.	Review with teams. Provide ongoing support for implementation. Seek feedback and continually review.
Communication and stakeholders	Share vision. Create urgency for change.	Share vision. RACI to inform project. Communicate change projects, anticipated benefits, relationship to vision, rationale etc.	Reinforce vision and reason for change. Continual feedback – two way. Ongoing communication of progress and benefits realised.	Quick wins and outcomes achieved. Benefits communicated. Learning from the experience. What happens next?
Skills	Scenario planning. Options appraisal. Business case.	Project management. Resource planning. Staff engagement.	Project management. Resource planning. Staff engagement.	Provide support to embed change.
Systems and processes	Identify key systems and processes related to project.	Align internal systems and processes including reward systems.	Amend, adapt systems and processes. Introduce new systems and processes.	Use of systems and processes underway. Ongoing review planned.
Risk Management	Define major risks.	Establish plans for overcoming known risks.	Manage risks.	Record lessons learned.