In today’s fast-paced business environment, most organizations are engaged in numerous change initiatives simultaneously. These initiatives might range from digital transformation efforts to restructuring, new product launches, or cultural shifts. For change management practitioners and leaders, the challenge is not only to ensure each initiative succeeds but also to align these efforts strategically to maximize overall business benefit. Let’s explore practical strategies for aligning multiple initiatives and measuring change adoption, providing actionable insights for change practitioners and leaders.
The Complexity of Multiple Change Initiatives
The complexity of managing multiple change initiatives lies in the potential for overlap, conflicting priorities, and resource strain. Each initiative, while aiming to deliver specific benefits, competes for attention, time, and resources. Moreover, when several initiatives target similar business outcomes, it becomes challenging to attribute success to any single effort. Most business units are only measuring a certain number of business metrics, and with a large number of initiatives there will bound to be overlaps. This makes it essential to adopt a strategic approach that ensures alignment and optimal resource utilisation.
Measuring Change Adoption Across Multiple Initiatives
One of the most critical aspects of managing multiple change initiatives is measuring the adoption of each change. This involves not only tracking how well each initiative is being implemented but also understanding its impact on the organization. The following strategies can help you effectively measure change adoption across various initiatives:
1. Establish Common Metrics
Establishing common metrics across all change initiatives is a foundational step in ensuring that change adoption is measured consistently and effectively. Common metrics provide a standardized way to evaluate progress, compare the success of different initiatives, and gain a holistic view of the organization’s overall change efforts. This approach allows for “apples-to-apples” comparisons, enabling senior leaders to make informed decisions about resource allocation, prioritization, and potential adjustments needed to maximize business benefits.
By identifying and applying a set of core metrics consistently across all change initiatives, organizations can better track the adoption process, identify areas where additional support may be needed, and ultimately ensure that changes are embedded successfully and sustainably.
Here’s a deeper look at some of the common metrics that can be established (note that we take a holistic and strategic lense in ‘adoption’, and not limiting adoption to the end of the project):
Employee Awareness and Understanding of the Change
Employee awareness and understanding are the first critical steps in the change adoption process. Without a clear understanding of what the change entails, why it is happening, and how it will impact their work, employees are unlikely to fully embrace the change. Measuring awareness and understanding helps ensure that communication efforts are effective and that employees have the necessary information to begin adopting the change.
Awareness Surveys: Regular surveys can be conducted to assess employees’ awareness of the change initiative. Questions can focus on whether employees are aware of the change, if they understand the reasons behind it, and if they can articulate the expected outcomes.
Knowledge Assessments: Beyond awareness, knowledge assessments can help gauge how well employees understand the details of the change. This could involve quizzes, interactive sessions, or discussions that test their understanding of new processes, tools, or organizational structures.
Communication Effectiveness: Track the effectiveness of communication campaigns through metrics such as email open rates, attendance at town halls or webinars, and engagement with internal communication platforms. High levels of engagement can indicate that employees are receiving and processing the information about the change.
Employee Engagement and Buy-in
Employee engagement and buy-in are essential for successful change adoption. If employees are not engaged or do not buy into the change, they are less likely to put in the effort needed to adopt new behaviours, processes, or tools. Measuring engagement and buy-in provides insight into how committed employees are to making the change successful.
Engagement Scores: Use engagement surveys to measure overall employee engagement levels before and after the change initiative. These scores can help you understand the impact of the change on employee morale and identify any groups that may need additional support.
Feedback Channels: Monitor and analyse feedback from employees through formal and informal channels. This includes responses to surveys, comments in focus groups, and feedback collected through suggestion boxes or digital platforms. The sentiment expressed in this feedback can be a strong indicator of buy-in.
Participation Rates: Track participation in change-related activities such as training sessions, workshops, and change champion programs. High participation rates typically indicate strong engagement and willingness to adopt the change.
Utilisation of New Systems, Processes, or Tools
The utilisation of new systems, processes, or tools introduced by a change initiative is a direct measure of adoption. If employees are not using the new tools or following the new processes, the change initiative cannot deliver its intended benefits. Measuring utilisation helps ensure that the changes are being practically applied in day-to-day operations.
System Usage Analytics: For technology-driven changes, track the usage of new systems through analytics. Metrics such as login frequency, time spent on the system, and the completion of key tasks can provide a clear picture of adoption.
Process Adherence: Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor adherence to new processes. This could involve audits, self-reporting, or the use of process management tools that track whether employees are following the new workflows.
Tool Adoption Rates: Measure the adoption rates of any new tools introduced as part of the change. This could include tracking the number of users, the frequency of use, and the breadth of functionality being utilised.
Proficiency in Applying the Change
Proficiency in applying the change is a crucial metric because it not only indicates whether employees are using the new systems, processes, or tools, but also how effectively they are using them. This metric helps ensure that employees have the necessary skills and competencies to fully leverage the change and achieve the desired outcomes.
Skill Assessments: Conduct skill assessments to measure employees’ proficiency in using new tools, systems, or processes. This could involve practical exams, simulations, or peer reviews where employees demonstrate their competency.
Performance Metrics: Monitor performance metrics related to the new processes or tools. For example, if a change initiative involves a new sales system, track metrics like sales conversion rates, the accuracy of data entry, or the speed of customer service resolution.
Certification Programs: Implement certification or accreditation programs where employees must demonstrate a certain level of proficiency to earn certification. Tracking the completion rates of these programs can indicate overall proficiency levels.
Realization of Expected Business Benefits
The ultimate goal of any change initiative is to realize the expected business benefits, whether they be financial, operational, or strategic. Measuring the realization of these benefits provides a clear indication of the success of the change initiative and its impact on the organization.
Benefit Tracking: Establish specific, measurable business benefits for each change initiative, such as cost savings, revenue growth, improved customer satisfaction, or increased productivity. Regularly track these metrics to assess whether the change is delivering the expected outcomes.
ROI Analysis: Conduct return on investment (ROI) analysis for each initiative, comparing the costs of implementation against the benefits realized. This helps quantify the financial impact of the change and determine its overall value to the organization.
Outcome-Based Metrics: Focus on outcome-based metrics that align with the organization’s strategic goals. For example, if a change initiative aims to improve customer experience, track customer satisfaction scores, retention rates, and repeat business.
Note that these may not be activities that change practitioners are leading within a project setting, however they should play a key part in contributing to the design and tracking of the adoption which then leads to the ultimate benefits.
Implementing Common Metrics in Practice
Implementing common metrics across multiple change initiatives requires a coordinated effort and a strong governance framework. Here are some practical steps to ensure that these metrics are applied effectively:
Alignment with Strategic Goals: Ensure that the selected metrics align with the organization’s broader strategic goals. This alignment helps prioritize initiatives and ensures that all change efforts contribute to the organization’s overall objectives.
Centralized Data Management: Establish a centralized data management system to collect, store, and analyze metrics across all initiatives. This system should allow for easy comparison and aggregation of data, providing a comprehensive view of change adoption.
Consistent Methodology: Develop a consistent methodology for measuring and reporting metrics. This includes standardized survey questions, data collection tools, and reporting formats to ensure that metrics are comparable across different initiatives.
Continuous Monitoring and Reporting: Regularly monitor and report on the metrics to track progress and identify any areas of concern. Use dashboards and scorecards to provide real-time visibility into change adoption across the organization.
Feedback and Adjustment: Use the insights gained from these metrics to provide feedback to initiative leaders and make necessary adjustments. Continuous improvement is key to ensuring that change initiatives remain on track and deliver the expected benefits.
Implementing metric tracking can be a very manual and labour intensive process. However, there are various digital tools that can be leverage to automate the data capture and streamline the data analysis and insight generation process. Chat to us to find out how The Change Compass can help.
2. Conduct Regular Assessments
Regular assessments are critical to understanding how well each initiative is being adopted and its impact on the organisation. These assessments should be scheduled at key milestones and involve both quantitative and qualitative evaluation.
Pulse Surveys: Conduct pulse surveys at regular intervals to gauge employee sentiment and engagement with each initiative. These short, focused surveys can provide real-time insights into how changes are being received and where additional support may be needed. However do note that pulse survey in themselves may only provide very superficial insights without the depth that may be required to understand the ‘why’ or ‘how’.
Performance Reviews: Where possible integrate change adoption metrics into regular performance reviews. This ensures that the impact of initiatives is continuously monitored and that any issues are addressed promptly.
Change Audits: Periodically perform change audits to assess the effectiveness of each initiative. This involves reviewing processes, outcomes, and feedback to determine whether the change is being adopted as intended.
3. Leverage Existing Channels
Leverage existing communication and feedback channels to measure adoption. This approach ensures that you are not overloading employees with new processes and allows for seamless integration into their daily routines.
Employee Feedback Platforms: Utilise platforms already in place, such as intranet forums like Yammer, suggestion inboxes, or regular team meetings, to gather feedback on change initiatives. This feedback can provide valuable insights into adoption levels and potential areas of resistance.
Usage Analytics: For technology-driven initiatives, use existing analytics tools to monitor system usage and user behaviour. This can help identify adoption rates and areas where additional training or support may be needed.
Regular Check-ins: Integrate adoption tracking into regular team check-ins. This allows managers to discuss progress with their teams and identify any challenges early on.
4. Quantify Qualitative Data
While quantitative metrics are essential, qualitative data provides context and deeper insights into how changes are being adopted. It’s important to develop methods to quantify this qualitative data to better understand the impact of your initiatives. Quantitative data are easier to present, and may be more memorable to your stakeholders.
Sentiment Analysis: Use sentiment analysis tools to analyse employee feedback, comments from surveys, or even social media mentions. This helps quantify the overall sentiment towards each initiative, providing a clearer picture of adoption.
Focus Groups: Conduct focus groups to gather in-depth feedback on specific initiatives. While this data is qualitative, you can quantify it by categorizing responses into themes and measuring the frequency of each theme.
Narrative Metrics: Develop narrative metrics that capture the stories behind the numbers. For example, if an initiative aims to improve customer service, track success stories where employees went above and beyond as a result of the new changes.
5. Analyse Trends and Patterns
Analysing trends and patterns over time is essential for understanding the broader impact of multiple initiatives. By looking at adoption data longitudinally, you can identify which initiatives are driving long-term change and which may require adjustments.
Adoption Trajectories: Track the adoption trajectories of each initiative. Are there certain initiatives that show rapid early adoption but then plateau? Understanding these patterns can help refine strategies to sustain momentum.
Cross-Initiative Analysis: Compare adoption trends across different initiatives. Look for correlations or conflicts between initiatives. For example, if one initiative shows strong adoption while another lags, investigate whether they are competing for the same resources or if there is confusion about priorities.
Predictive Analytics: Use predictive analytics to forecast future adoption trends based on historical data. This can help in proactive decision-making and resource allocation. This is absolutely the value of data, when you have historical data you can easily forecast what lies ahead and provide an overlay for change portfolio consideration during business planning cycles.
6. Communicate Progress Transparently
Transparent communication is vital for building trust and ensuring that everyone in the organization is aware of the progress of each initiative. This helps in aligning efforts and maintaining momentum.
Regular Updates: Provide regular updates on the progress of each initiative. Use a variety of channels such as newsletters, town halls, or internal social media to keep everyone informed.
Success Stories: Share success stories that highlight the benefits of adoption. This not only celebrates achievements but also reinforces the value of the initiatives and encourages further adoption.
Dashboard Reporting: Develop a dashboard that tracks and displays adoption metrics for all initiatives in real-time. Make this dashboard accessible to key stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.
7. Establish a Governance Framework
A governance framework is essential for coordinating multiple initiatives and ensuring that they are aligned with the organization’s strategic goals. This framework should provide structure, oversight, and guidance for all change efforts.
Steering Committees: Establish steering committees composed of senior leaders who oversee the progress of all initiatives. These committees should ensure that initiatives are aligned with business objectives and that resources are appropriately allocated.
Change Champions: Identify change champions within the organization who can advocate for adoption and provide support to their peers. These individuals play a crucial role in driving change from within and ensuring alignment across initiatives.
Standardised Processes: Develop standardized processes for planning, implementing, and measuring change initiatives. This ensures consistency and allows for more effective comparison and integration of efforts. In establishing the right routines they become embedded within business practices and are not seen as an ‘additional effort required’ on top of their day-jobs.
Aligning Multiple Initiatives for Maximum Business Benefit
While measuring adoption is crucial, aligning multiple initiatives to maximize business benefits is the ultimate goal. Here are key strategies to ensure alignment:
1. Prioritise Initiatives Based on Strategic Value
Not all initiatives are created equal. Prioritising initiatives based on their strategic value ensures that resources are allocated effectively and that the most critical changes receive the attention they deserve.
Value Assessment: Conduct a value assessment for each initiative to determine its potential impact on the organization’s strategic goals. Focus on initiatives that align most closely with these goals.
Resource Allocation: Allocate resources based on the strategic value of each initiative. This may involve dedicating more resources to high-priority initiatives while scaling back on others.
Phased Implementation: Consider implementing high-priority initiatives in phases. This allows you to focus efforts on achieving quick wins, which can build momentum for broader change.
Integration of change initiatives is essential to avoid duplication of efforts and to ensure that all initiatives are working towards common goals. This requires a coordinated approach and effective communication across initiatives and stakeholders.
Change Integration Plan: Develop a change integration plan that outlines how different initiatives will work together. This plan should identify potential overlaps and ensure that all initiatives are aligned. It could be that lower prioritised initiatives be pushed out making the runway for more strategic initiatives with higher priorities. It could also be ‘packaging’ change releases across different initiatives where they make sense to deliver change to the impacted teams in a more cohesive and easier-to-digest manner. This may be due to the nature of the changes or the volume and capacity required in the impact of the changes.
Cross-Functional Teams: Establish cross-functional teams to oversee the integration of initiatives. These teams should include representatives from each initiative to ensure collaboration and alignment. Ideally cross functional forums already exist and this is just tapping into an existing channel.
Unified Communication Strategy: Create a unified communication strategy that aligns messaging across initiatives. This helps avoid confusion and ensures that employees receive consistent information. To do this, data is required to be able to have a clear view in terms of communication content and planned releases.
3. Monitor and Adjust in Real-Time
The business environment is dynamic, and change initiatives need to be adaptable. Monitoring progress in real-time and being willing to adjust strategies is crucial for success. At a minimum, set up routine reporting timelines so that data and reporting are harmonised and embedded within the operating rhythms of those involved.
Real-Time Monitoring: Use real-time data to monitor the progress of each initiative. This allows you to identify issues early and make adjustments as needed.
Agile Approach: Adopt an agile approach to change management, where initiatives are continuously reviewed and adjusted based on feedback and changing circumstances.
Flexibility in Execution: Be prepared to pivot if an initiative is not delivering the expected results or needs to be adjusted based on the challenges of impacted business teams. This might involve reallocating resources, adjusting timelines, or even pausing initiatives that are not aligned with current business needs.
Successfully managing and aligning multiple change initiatives is a complex but achievable task. By establishing common metrics, conducting regular assessments, leveraging existing channels, and quantifying qualitative data, you can effectively measure adoption. Aligning initiatives for maximum business benefit requires prioritisation, integration, and real-time monitoring. For change management practitioners and leaders, these strategies are essential for driving organisational success in a world of increased rate of change. By strategically aligning multiple initiatives, you can ensure that the organisation not only adapts to change but thrives in it.
Though not elaborated, what is inherent in this article is the importance of behaviour in adoption, understanding it, and measuring it. To read more about driving behaviour change check out The Ultimate Guide to Behaviour Change.
In the world of change management, Go Lives are often seen as significant milestones. For many project teams, these events represent the culmination of months or even years of hard work, signaling that a new system, process, or initiative is officially being launched. It’s common for stakeholders to view Go Lives as a key indicator of the success of a change initiative. However, while Go Lives are undeniably important, relying on them as the primary measure of change impact can be misleading and potentially harmful to the overall change effort.
Go Lives are just one piece of the puzzle. Focusing too heavily on these milestones can lead to an incomplete understanding of the change process, neglecting crucial activities that occur both before and after Go Live. Let’s outline the risks associated with using Go Lives to report on change management impacts and offers best practices for a more holistic approach.
Go Lives: A Double-Edged Sword
Go Lives are naturally a focal point for project teams. They represent a clear, tangible goal, and the success of a Go Live can boost morale, validate the efforts of the team, and provide a sense of accomplishment. From a project delivery perspective, Go Lives are critical. They signal that the project has reached a level of maturity where it is ready to be released to the broader organization. In terms of resourcing and business readiness, Go Lives ensure that everything is in place for the new system or process to function as intended.
However, the very attributes that make Go Lives attractive can also make them problematic as indicators of change impact. The simplicity and clarity of a Go Live event can lead stakeholders to overestimate its significance, from a impacted business perspective. The focus on Go Lives can overshadow the complex and often subtle changes that occur before and after the event. While a successful Go Live is necessary for change, it is not sufficient to guarantee that the change will be successful in the long term.
The Pre-Go Live Journey: Laying the Foundation for Change
A significant portion of the change management journey occurs long before the Go Live date. During this pre-Go Live phase, various engagement and readiness activities take place that are critical to shaping the overall impact of the change. These activities include town hall meetings, where leaders communicate the vision and rationale behind the change, and briefing sessions that provide detailed information about what the change will entail.
Training and learning sessions are also a crucial component of the pre-Go Live phase. These sessions help employees acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt to the new system or process. Discussions, feedback loops, and iterative improvements based on stakeholder input further refine the change initiative, ensuring it is better aligned with the needs of the organization.
These pre-Go Live activities are where much of the groundwork for successful change is laid. They build awareness, generate buy-in, and prepare employees for what is to come. Without these efforts, the Go Live event would likely be met with confusion, resistance, or outright failure. Therefore, it is essential to recognize that the impact of change is already being felt during this phase, even if it is not yet fully visible.
Post-Go Live Reality: The Real Work Begins
While the Go Live event marks a significant milestone, it is by no means the end of the change journey. In fact, for many employees, Go Live is just the beginning. It is in the post-Go Live phase that the true impact of the change becomes apparent. This is when employees start using the new system or process in their daily work, and the real test of the change’s effectiveness begins.
During this phase, the focus shifts from preparation to adoption. Employees must not only apply what they have learned but also adapt to any unforeseen challenges that arise. This period can be fraught with difficulties, as initial enthusiasm can give way to frustration if the change does not meet expectations or if adequate support is not provided.
Moreover, the post-Go Live phase is when the long-term sustainability of the change is determined. Continuous reinforcement, feedback, and support are needed to ensure that the change sticks and becomes embedded in the organization’s culture. Without these ongoing efforts, the change initiative may falter, even if the Go Live event was deemed a success.
The Risk of Misleading Stakeholders
One of the most significant dangers of focusing too heavily on Go Lives is the risk of misleading stakeholders. When stakeholders are led to believe that the Go Live event is the primary indicator of change impact, they may not fully appreciate the importance of the activities that occur before and after this milestone. This narrow focus can lead to a number of issues.
Firstly, stakeholders may prioritize the Go Live date to the exclusion of other critical activities. This can result in insufficient attention being paid to pre-Go Live engagement and readiness efforts or to post-Go Live adoption and support. As a consequence, the overall change initiative may suffer, as the necessary foundations for successful change have not been properly established.
Secondly, stakeholders may develop unrealistic expectations about the impact of the change. If they believe that the Go Live event will immediately deliver all the promised benefits, they may be disappointed when these benefits take longer to materialize. This can erode confidence in the change initiative and reduce support for future changes.
Finally, a narrow focus on Go Lives can create a false sense of security. If the Go Live event is successful, stakeholders may assume that the change is fully implemented and no further action is required. This can lead to complacency and a lack of ongoing support, which are essential for ensuring the long-term success of the change.
Best Practices for Reporting Change Management Impact
To avoid the pitfalls associated with relying on Go Lives as indicators of change impact, change management practitioners should adopt a more holistic approach to reporting. This involves considering the full scope of the change journey, from the earliest engagement activities to the ongoing support provided after Go Live. Here are some best practices for reporting on change management impact:
Integrate Pre-Go Live Metrics:
Track and report on engagement activities, such as attendance at town hall meetings, participation in training sessions, and feedback from employees.
Monitor changes in employee sentiment and readiness levels throughout the pre-Go Live phase.
Report on aggregate pan-initiative change initiative impost on business units, pre-Go Live
Emphasize Post-Go Live Support:
Develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of post-Go Live support, such as the number of help desk inquiries, employee satisfaction with the new system, and the rate of adoption.
Highlight the importance of continuous feedback loops to identify and address any issues that arise after Go Live.
Communicate the need for ongoing reinforcement and support to stakeholders, emphasizing that change is an ongoing process
Report on post-Go Live adoption time impost expected across initiatives
Provide a Balanced View of Change Impact:
Ensure that stakeholders understand that Go Live is just one part of the change journey and that significant impacts occur both before and after this event.
Use a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive view of change impact.
Regularly update stakeholders on progress throughout the entire change journey, not just at the time of Go Live.
Manage Expectations:
Clearly communicate to stakeholders that the full impact of the change may not be immediately visible at the time of Go Live.
Set realistic expectations about the timeline for realizing the benefits of the change.
Prepare stakeholders for potential challenges in the post-Go Live phase and emphasize the importance of ongoing support.
While Go Lives are important milestones in the change management process, they should not be used as the sole indicator of change impact. The journey to successful change is complex, involving critical activities before, during, and after the Go Live event. By adopting a more holistic approach to reporting on change management impact, practitioners can provide stakeholders with a more accurate understanding of the change journey, manage expectations more effectively, and ensure the long-term success of the change initiative.
The key takeaway is that change management is not just about delivering a project; it’s about guiding an organization through a journey of transformation. Go Lives are just one step in this journey, and it is the responsibility of leaders to ensure that every step is given the attention it deserves.
Change management professionals are increasingly requested to provide measurement, data, and insights to various stakeholder groups. Not only does this include tracking various change outcomes such as business readiness or adoption, but stakeholder concerns also include such as change saturation and visibility of incoming initiative impacts.
To become better at working with data there is much that change managers can learn from data scientists (without becoming one of course). Let’s explore how change management can benefit from the practices and methodologies employed by data scientists, focusing on time allocation, digital tools, system building, hypothesis-led approaches, and the growing need for data and analytical capabilities.
1. Time Allocation: Prioritizing Data Collection and Cleansing
Data scientists spend a substantial portion of their time on data collection and cleansing. According to industry estimates, about 60-80% of a data scientist’s time is dedicated to these tasks. This meticulous process ensures that the data used for analysis is accurate, complete, and reliable.
In the below diagram from researchgate.net you can see that for data scientists the vast majority of the time is spent on collecting, cleansing and organising data.
You might say that change managers are not data scientists because the work nature is different, and therefore should not need to carve out time for these activities? Well, it turns out that the type of activities and proportions of time spent is similar across a range of data professionals, including business analysts.
Below is the survey results published by Business Broadway, showing that even business analysts and data analysts spend significant time in data collection, cleansing, and preparation.
Lessons for Change Management
a. Emphasize Data Collection and Cleansing: For change managers, this translates to prioritizing the collection of reliable data related to change initiatives. This might include stakeholder feedback, performance metrics, impact data and other relevant data points. Clean data is essential for accurate analysis and insightful decision-making. Data projects undertaken by change managers are not going to be as large or as complex as data scientists, however the key takeaway is that this part of the work is critical and sufficient time should be allocated and not skipped.
b. Allocate Time Wisely: Just as data scientists allocate significant time to data preparation, change managers should also dedicate sufficient time to gathering and cleaning data before diving into analysis. This ensures that the insights derived are based on accurate and reliable information.
It also depends on the data topic and your audience. If you are presenting comparative data, for example, change volume across different business units. You may be able to do spot checks on the data and not verify every data line. However, if you are presenting to operations business units like call centres where they are very sensitive to time and capacity challenges, you may need to go quite granular in terms of exactly what the time impost is across initiatives.
c. Training and Awareness: Ensuring that the change management team understands the importance of data quality and is trained in basic data cleansing techniques can go a long way in improving the overall effectiveness of change initiatives. Think of scheduling regular data sessions/workshops to review and present data observations and findings to enhance the team’s ability to capture accurate data as well as the ability to interpret and apply insights. The more capable the team is in understanding data, the more value they can add to their stakeholders leveraging data insights.
2. Leveraging Digital Tools: Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy
Data scientists rely on a variety of digital tools to streamline their work. These tools assist in data collection, auditing, visualization, and insight generation. AI and machine learning technologies are increasingly being used to automate and enhance these processes.
Data scientists rely on various programming, machine learning and data visualisation such as SQL, Python, Jupyter, R as well as various charting tools.
Lessons for Change Management
a. Adopt Digital Tools: Change managers should leverage digital tools to support each phase of their data work. There are plenty of digital tools out there for various tasks such as surveys, data analysis and reporting tools.
For example, Change Compass has built-in data analysis, data interpretation, data audit, AI and other tools to help streamline and reduce manual efforts across various data work steps. However, once again even with automation and AI the work of data checking and cleansing does not go away. It becomes even more important.
b. Utilize AI and Machine Learning: AI can play a crucial role in automating repetitive tasks, identifying patterns, data outliers, and generating insights. For example, AI-driven analytics tools can help predict potential change saturation, level of employee adoption or identify areas needing additional support during various phases of change initiatives.
With Change Compass for example, AI may be leverage to summarise data, call out key risks, generate data, and forecast future trends.
c. Continuous Learning: Continuous learning is essential for ensuring that change management teams stay adept at handling data and generating valuable insights. With greater stakeholder expectations and demands, regular training sessions on the latest data management practices and techniques can be helpful. These sessions can cover a wide range of topics, including data collection methodologies, data cleansing techniques, data visualisation techniques and the use of AI and machine learning for predictive analytics. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, organizations can ensure that their change management teams remain proficient in leveraging data for driving effective change.
In addition to formal training, creating opportunities for hands-on experience with real-world data can significantly enhance the learning process. For instance, change teams can work on pilot projects where they apply new data analysis techniques to solve specific challenges within the organization. Regular knowledge-sharing sessions, where team members present case studies and share insights from their experiences, can also promote collective learning and continuous improvement.
Furthermore, fostering collaboration between change managers and data scientists or data analysts can provide invaluable mentorship and cross-functional learning opportunities. By investing in continuous learning and development, organizations can build a change management function that is not only skilled in data management but also adept at generating actionable insights that drive successful change initiatives.
3. Building the Right System: Ensuring Sustainable Insight Generation
It is not just about individuals or teams working on data. A robust system is vital for ongoing insight generation. This involves creating processes for data collection, auditing, cleansing, and establishing governance bodies to manage and report on data.
Governance structures play a vital role in managing and reporting data. Establishing governance bodies ensures that there is accountability and oversight in data management practices. These bodies can develop and enforce data policies, and oversee data quality initiatives. They can also be responsible for supporting the management of a central data repository where all relevant data is stored and managed.
Lessons for Change Management
a. Establish Clear Processes: Develop and document processes for collecting and managing data related to change initiatives. This ensures consistency and reliability in data handling.
b. Implement Governance Structures: Set up governance bodies to oversee data management practices. This includes ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations and maintaining data integrity. The governance can sponsor the investment and usage of the change data platform. This repository should be accessible to stakeholders involved in the change management process, promoting transparency and collaboration. Note that a governance group can simply be a leadership team regular team meeting and does not need to be necessarily creating a special committee.
c. Invest in system Infrastructure: Build the necessary system infrastructure to support data management and analysis that is easy to use and provides the features to support insight generation and application for the change team.
Data scientists often use a hypothesis-led approach, where they test, reject, or confirm hypotheses using data. This method goes beyond simply reporting what the data shows to understanding the underlying causes and implications.
Lessons for Change Management
a. Define Hypotheses: Before analyzing data, clearly define the hypotheses you want to test. For instance, if there is a hypothesis that there is a risk of too much change in Department A, specify the data needed to test this hypothesis.
b. Use Data to Confirm or Reject Hypotheses: Collect and analyze data to confirm or reject your hypotheses. This approach helps in making informed decisions rather than relying on assumptions or certain stakeholder opinions.
c. Focus on Actionable Insights: Hypothesis-led analysis often leads to more actionable insights. It is also easier to use this approach to dispel any myths of false perceptions.
For example: Resolving Lack of Adoption
Hypothesis: The lack of adoption of a new software tool in the organization is due to insufficient coaching and support for employees.
Data Collection:
Gather data on the presence of managerial coaching and perceived quality. Also gather data on post go live user support.
Collect feedback from employees through surveys regarding the adequacy and clarity of coaching and support.
Analyse usage data of the new software to identify adoption rates across different departments.
Analysis:
Compare adoption rates between employees who received sufficient coaching and support versus those who did not.
Correlate feedback scores on training effectiveness with usage data to see if those who found the training useful are more likely to adopt the tool.
Segment data by department to identify if certain teams have lower adoption rates and investigate their specific training experiences.
Actionable Insights:
If data shows a positive correlation between coaching and support, and software adoption, this supports the hypothesis that enhancing coaching and support programs can improve adoption rates.
If certain departments show lower adoption despite completing coaching sessions, investigate further into department-specific issues such as workload or differing processes that may affect adoption.
Implement targeted interventions such as additional training sessions, one-on-one support, or improved training materials for departments with low adoption rates.
5. Building Data and Analytical Capabilities: A Core Need for Change Management
As data and analytical capabilities become increasingly crucial, change management functions must build the necessary people and process capabilities to leverage data-based insights effectively.
Lessons for Change Management
a. Invest in Training: Equip change management teams with the skills needed to manage data and generate insights. This includes training in data analysis, visualization, and interpretation.
b. Foster a Data-Driven Culture: A lot of organisations are already on the bandwagon of Encourage a culture where data is valued and used for decision-making. The change management needs to promote this equally within the change management function. This involves promoting the use of data in everyday tasks and ensuring that all team members understand its importance. Think of incorporating data-led discussions into routine meeting meetings.
c. Develop Analytical Frameworks: Create frameworks and methodologies for analyzing change management data. This includes defining common key metrics, setting benchmarks, and establishing protocols for data collection and analysis for change data. Data and visual templates may be easier to follow for those with lower capabilities in data analytics.
Practical Steps to Implement Data-Driven Change Management
To integrate these lessons effectively, senior change practitioners can follow these practical steps:
Develop a Data Strategy: Create a comprehensive data strategy that outlines the processes, tools, and governance structures needed to manage change management data effectively.
Conduct a Data Audit: Begin by auditing the existing data related to change management. Identify gaps and areas for improvement.
Adopt a Hypothesis-Led Approach: Encourage the use of hypothesis-led approaches to move beyond descriptive analytics and derive more meaningful insights.
Invest in Technology: Invest in the necessary digital tools and technologies to support data collection, cleansing, visualization, and analysis.
Train the Team: Provide training and development opportunities for the change management team to build their data and analytical capabilities.
Collaborate Across Functions: Foster collaboration between change management and data science teams to leverage their expertise and insights.
Implement Governance Structures: Establish governance bodies to oversee data management practices and ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
By learning from the practices and methodologies of data scientists, change management functions can significantly enhance their effectiveness. Prioritizing data collection and cleansing, leveraging digital tools, building robust systems, adopting hypothesis-led approaches, and developing data and analytical capabilities are key strategies that change management teams can implement. By doing so, they can ensure that their change initiatives are data-driven, insightful, and impactful, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Successful change management relies on having the right metrics to measure progress, gauge impact, and communicate with stakeholders. Moreover, the right metrics can drive continuous improvement and help directly achieve change outcomes. However, not all metrics are beneficial, and some can mislead or fail to meet stakeholder needs. Let’s check out the top change management metrics to avoid and go through examples to take note.
Understanding the Disconnect: Change Managers vs. Business Stakeholders
A significant reason certain change management metrics fall short is the differing perspectives between change managers and business stakeholders. Change managers are trained to view metrics through the lens of change management frameworks and methodologies, focusing on detailed assessments and structured approaches. These include applying ratings and judgments on aspects such as impact levels.
In contrast, business stakeholders prioritize business operations, strategic outcomes, and practical implications. The busy business stakeholder is often looking for practical implications from metrics that can be used to directly drive decision making, meaning “what do I do with this data to improve the ultimate business outcome”.
Of course, different stakeholder have different data needs, and you need to show the right metric to the right type of stakeholder. For example, operations focused stakeholders expect fairly detailed metrics and data and what that means in terms of organisation, coordination, capacity and performance perspectives. Senior managers may prefer higher level data with focus on strategic impacts, overall progress and adoption indicators.
This disconnect can lead to the use of metrics that do not resonate with or are misunderstood by stakeholders.
Metrics from a Change Manager’s Perspective
Change managers may leverage metrics that are derived from the various change management documents such impact assessments, training plan or communications plan. Metrics also often chosen for ease of use and ideally are not overly complicated to execute.
For example, impact assessments typically involve rating stakeholder groups and initiatives on a traffic light system (red, amber, green) based on their impact. While this approach is systematic, it can be problematic for several reasons:
Lack of Sufficient Stakeholder Context: Business stakeholders might not understand the practical implications of these ratings. For instance, an “impact rating per initiative” may not clearly convey what the rating means for day-to-day operations or strategic goals. For example, if an initiative has a red impact rating, stakeholders might not grasp the specific operational changes or strategic adjustments needed, in essence, “what do I do with this?”.
Misinterpretation of Traffic Light Ratings: The red, amber, green system can be misleading. Stakeholders might interpret red as an indicator of alarm or imminent risk, while green may be seen as a sign that no action is needed. This is because stakeholders are trained to interpret traffic light ratings this way (from the various project/business updates they’ve attended). In reality, red might simply mean high impact, requiring focused attention, and green might indicate a low impact but still require monitoring. For instance, a red rating might indicate significant process changes that need careful management, not necessarily a negative outcome.
Hard to defend ratings if prompted: Business stakeholders may also want to drill into how the ratings are determined, and based on what basis. They may expect a logical data-backed reasoning of how each colour scheme is determined. If a rating is based on an overall ‘personal judgment’ this may be hard to defend infront of a group of stakeholders.
Examples of Potentially Misleading Metrics
Certain metrics, although straightforward, can be easily misinterpreted and fail to provide a realistic picture of change impacts. Often these are selected because they are easy to report on. However, easy, make not give you the outcome you are looking for.
Number of Go-Lives: Tracking the number of Go-Lives over time might seem like an effective way to represent change volume. However, the most significant impacts on people often occur before or after the Go-Live date. For example, the preparation and training phase before Go-Live and the adoption phase afterward are critical periods that this metric overlooks. A Go-Live date might indicate a milestone but not the challenges, progress or impacts faced during the implementation phase.
Number of Activities Implemented: Similar to Go-Lives, this metric focuses on quantity rather than quality. Simply counting the number of activities does not account for their effectiveness or the actual change they drive within the organisation. For example, reporting that 50 training sessions were conducted does not reveal whether employees found them helpful or if they led to improved performance.
Number of impacts or stakeholders impacted: Again, using a numerical way to indicate progress can be very misleading, or unmeaningful. This is because it may be ‘interesting’ but with no real action for your stakeholder to take in order to somehow lead to a better overall change outcome. If metrics do not result in some kind of action, then over time it will not shape your change(s) toward the targeted outcomes. Or worse, your stakeholders may lose interest and lose confidence in the strategic impact of these metrics.
Another common way to report change metrics is to use the number of impacts or number of stakeholders impacted. This can be in terms of the following:
Number of divisions impacted
Number of stakeholder groups impacted
Number of employees impacted
Number of initiatives per division/stakeholder
Metrics That May Be Too Operational
Metrics that are overly operational can fail to capture meaningful progress or adoption. Perhaps if the metric are for reporting within the Change Management team that may be OK. However, when you are showing metrics to stakeholders, a different set of expectations should be cast.
If you are presenting metrics to senior managers, you need to ensure that they hit the mark for that audience group. If the group is more interested in strategic impact, and higher level progress outcomes, you need to tailor accordingly.
Examples of metrics that may be too operational include:
Number of Communications Sent: This metric measures activity but not effectiveness. Sending numerous emails or messages does not guarantee that the message is received, understood, or acted upon by stakeholders. For instance, stakeholders might receive 100 emails, but if the content is unclear, the communication effort is wasted. Or worse, the emails may not even have been read.
Number of Training Sessions Attended: This one is a classic. While training is crucial, the number of sessions attended does not necessarily reflect the attendees’ understanding, engagement, or the practical application of the training. For example, employees might attend training but not apply the new skills if the training is not relevant to their roles for various reasons.
Number of workshops/meetings: Another way of articulating the change management progress in terms of activities is the number of workshops or meetings conducted with stakeholders. Again, this may be good to track within the change management team. However, presenting this metric to stakeholders may not be appropriate as it may not mee their needs.
The way metrics are presented is just as important as the metrics themselves. Poor visualization can lead to misinterpretation, confusion, and misguided decisions. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:
Ineffective Use of Pie Charts
Pie charts can be misleading when used to show data points that are not significantly different. For example, using a pie chart to represent the percentage of divisions impacted by a change might not effectively communicate the nuances of the impact if the differences between the divisions are minimal. A pie chart showing 45%, 30%, and 25% might not convey the critical differences in impact levels among divisions.
Misleading Traffic Light Ratings
Using red, amber, and green to indicate high, medium, and low impacts can send the wrong message. Stakeholders might associate these colours with good and bad outcomes rather than understanding the actual levels of impact. Stakeholder may be used to interpreting these in the context of their usual project or business updates where red indicated alarm and ‘bad’. This can lead to unnecessary alarm or complacency. For instance, a green rating might suggest no need for action, while in reality, it might require ongoing monitoring.
Overuse of Colours
Using too many colours in charts and graphs can overwhelm stakeholders, making it difficult to discern the key message. Using colours in data visualisation can be two-edged sword. Colour can effectively point your stakeholders are the area where you want them to focus on. But, too many colours can lose your audience. A cluttered visual can obscure the critical data points and lead to misinterpretation. For example, a graph with ten different colours can confuse stakeholders about which data points are most important.
Practical Takeaways for Senior Change Managers
To ensure that change management metrics are effective, consider the following practical takeaways:
Align Metrics with Stakeholder Perspectives
Understand Stakeholder Priorities: Engage with stakeholders to understand their priorities and concerns. Tailor your metrics to address these aspects directly. For example, if stakeholders are concerned about operational efficiency, focus on metrics that reflect improvements in this area.
Use Business Language: Frame your metrics in a way that resonates with business stakeholders. Avoid change management jargon and reference, and ensure that the implications of the metrics are clear and actionable. For example, instead of using technical terms, explain how the metrics impact business outcomes. Think in terms of business activities, milestones, busy periods, and capacity challenges.
Focus on Meaningful Metrics
Measure Outcomes, Not Just Activities: Prioritize metrics that reflect the outcomes and impacts of change, rather than just the activities performed. For example, instead of counting the number of training sessions, measure the improvement in employee performance or knowledge retention post-training.
Example: Instead of reporting that 100 employees attended training sessions, report that 85% of attendees showed improved performance in their roles after training, or that certain level of competencies were gained.
Track Engagement and Adoption: Monitor metrics that indicate the level of engagement and adoption among stakeholders. This could include surveys, feedback forms, or direct measures of behaviour change.
Example: Use post-training surveys to measure employee confidence in applying new skills or managerial rating of application of learnt skills. Track the percentage of employees who actively use new tools or processes introduced during the change.
Improve Metric Visualization
Simplify Visuals: Use clear, simple visuals that highlight the key messages. Avoid clutter and ensure that the most important data points stand out.
Example: Use bar charts or line graphs to show trends over time rather than pie charts that can be harder to interpret.
Contextualize Data: Provide context for the data to help stakeholders understand the significance. For example, instead of just showing the number of Go-Lives, explain what each Go-Live entails and its expected impact on operations. Or better, focus on showing the varying levels of impact on different stakeholders across time within the initiative.
Example: Accompany a Go-Live count with a visual showing the varying impact level of various implementation activities of the changes.
Narrative Approach: Combine metrics with a narrative that explains the story behind the numbers. This can help stakeholders understand the broader context and implications.
Example: Instead of presenting raw data, provide a summary that explains key trends, successes, and areas needing attention.
Educate your stakeholders: Depending on stakeholder needs you may need to take them on a phased approach to gradually educate them on change management metrics and how you ultimately want them to drive the outcomes.
Example: You may start the education process to focus on more simplistic and easy-to-understand measures, and as your stakeholders are more change-mature, move to drill into more detailed metrics that explain the ‘why’ and ‘how’ to drive outcome success.
Continuously improvement: Provide regular updates on key metrics and adjust them based on feedback from stakeholders. Continuous communication ensures that everyone remains aligned and informed.
Example: Hold monthly review meetings with stakeholders to discuss the latest metrics, address concerns, and adjust strategies as needed.
Examples of Effective Metrics
Employee Adoption and Engagement
Percentage of Employees Adopting New Process/System: This metric measures the rate at which employees are using new processes or systems introduced during the change. High adoption rates indicate successful integration.
Implementation: Use software usage analytics or surveys to track tool adoption rates.
Visualization: A graph showing adoption rates over time.
Employee Feedback Scores: Collect feedback on change initiatives through surveys or stakeholder ratings to measure sentiment/feedback and identify areas for improvement.
Implementation: Conduct regular surveys asking employees about their experience with the change process. Do note that depending on the change you may expect negative feedback due to the nature of the change itself (vs the way it was implemented).
Visualization: Bar/Line charts comparing feedback scores across different departments or time periods. Bar/Line charts are the standard go-to for data visualisation. They are easy to understand and interpret.
Impact on Business Outcomes
Improvement in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Track changes in KPIs that are directly impacted by the change initiatives, such as productivity, customer satisfaction, or financial performance.
Implementation: Identify relevant KPIs and measure their performance before and after change initiatives.
Visualization: Use line/bar graphs to show trends in KPI performance over time.
Operational Efficiency Metrics: Measure improvements in operational processes, such as reduced cycle times, error rates, or cost savings.
Implementation: Track specific operational metrics relevant to the change initiatives.
Visualization: Bar charts or heatmaps showing improvements in efficiency metrics across different operational areas.
Effective change management requires metrics that not only measure progress but also resonate with business stakeholders and accurately reflect the impact of change initiatives. Avoiding common pitfalls such as relying on easily misinterpreted or overly operational metrics is crucial. By aligning metrics with stakeholder perspectives, focusing on meaningful outcomes, improving visualization, and communicating effectively, senior change and transformation professionals can ensure that their metrics truly support the success of their change initiatives.
The top change management metrics to avoid are those that fail to provide clear, actionable insights to business stakeholders. By understanding and addressing the disconnect between change managers and business stakeholders, and by prioritizing metrics that truly reflect the impact and progress of change, you can drive more effective and successful change management efforts by influencing your stakeholders in your organisation.
Chat with us if you would like to discuss more about leveraging AI and technology to generate high-impact change management metrics and data for your stakeholders, both at project and portfolio levels.
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) has emerged as a leading methodology to address organisational change demands of fostering flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. A cornerstone of SAFe is the principle of “Measure and Grow,” which emphasizes using data and fact-based decisions to enhance change outcomes over time. Despite its centrality, SAFe does not explicitly detail the change management components essential for its success. Here we outline how change management practitioners can effectively apply the “Measure and Grow” principle to lead change and improve outcomes to support the Scaled Agile environment.
The “Measure and Grow” Principle in Scaled Agile
“Measure and Grow” is integral to SAFe, focusing on systematic measurement and continuous improvement. By leveraging data and analytics, organizations can make informed decisions, identify areas needing attention, and iteratively enhance performance. For change management professionals, this principle translates into a structured approach to evaluate the effectiveness of change initiatives, pinpoint areas for improvement, and implement necessary adjustments.
In a Scaled Agile environment, “Measure and Grow” is a core tenant or principle that applies in all types of agile environments. By continuously assessing and refining change efforts, organizations can align their initiatives with strategic objectives, mitigate risks, and ensure sustained success.
In practice, a lot of organisations have not pinpointed exactly how change management measures can make or break the outcome of the change, and in a SAFe environment, across the program, portfolio as well as enterprise.
The ‘Measure and Grow’ principle as a core part of SAFe (From Scaled Agile Framework)
Key Elements of Measuring and Growing Change Outcomes
To operationalize the “Measure and Grow” principle in change management, it is crucial to establish a set of metrics and assessment frameworks. Here are some broad categories of different types of change measurements that are relevant. Note that since we are talking about SAFe, it is not just at the initiative level that we are talking about metrics. More importantly, it is about establishing a system to promote change improvement across the organisation.
Change Management KPIs and OKRs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are essential tools for tracking the success of change management initiatives. KPIs provide quantitative measures of performance, while OKRs align change efforts with broader organizational goals. A change management stream or function should focus on establishing KPIs or OKRs to achieve laser focus on achieving change outcomes.
Examples of Initiative-Level Change Management KPIs that may roll out to form portfolio views
Employee Engagement Levels: This KPI assesses how change impacts employee morale and engagement, providing insight into the overall acceptance and support of the change initiative.
Learning Achievement Rates: This can include tracking the percentage of employees who have completed necessary training programs, as well as achieving the target level of competence to ensure that the workforce is adequately prepared for the change.
Feedback Scores: Collecting feedback from stakeholders through surveys or feedback forms helps gauge perception and identify areas needing improvement. It is important to note that depending on the change context, stakeholders may not be happy with the content of the change. However, understanding and tracking this perception is still important.
Change Adoption Rate: This KPI measures the percentage of stakeholders who have adopted the change. High adoption rates are the ultimate goal for initiatives.
Issue Resolution Time: Measuring the time taken to resolve user-related issues related to the change highlights the efficiency of support mechanisms and the responsiveness of the change management team. This is especially important during an agile environment where there may be constant changes.
Change Readiness and Stakeholder Engagement Metrics
Evaluating change readiness and stakeholder engagement is crucial to the success of any change initiative. These metrics help assess the organization’s preparedness for change and the level of involvement and support from key stakeholders. Readiness and engagement rates can also roll up at a portfolio level to provide oversight.
Change Readiness Metrics
Readiness Assessments: Conduct surveys or interviews to gauge the organization’s preparedness for the impending change. This can include evaluating awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the change.
Resource Availability: Measure the availability of necessary resources, such as budget, personnel, and tools, to support the change initiative.
Communication Effectiveness: Assess the clarity, frequency, and effectiveness of communication regarding the change to ensure stakeholders are well-informed and engaged.
Stakeholder Engagement Metrics
Engagement Scores: Use surveys or feedback forms to measure the engagement levels of stakeholders, indicating their commitment and support for the change.
Participation Rates: Track stakeholder participation in change-related activities, such as workshops, meetings, and training sessions, to gauge their involvement.
Influence and Support: Assess the influence and support of key stakeholders in driving the change, ensuring that influential figures are actively endorsing the initiative.
By monitoring these metrics, change management professionals can identify potential barriers to change and take proactive steps to enhance readiness and engagement.
Stakeholder Competency Assessment
Successful change initiatives rely on the competence and readiness of key stakeholders. Assessing stakeholder competency involves evaluating the capability of sponsors and change champions to support and drive the change.
Sponsor Readiness/Capability Assessment
Sponsor Engagement: Measure the level of engagement and commitment from sponsors, ensuring they are actively involved and supportive of the change.
Decision-Making Effectiveness: Assess the ability of sponsors to make timely and effective decisions that facilitate the change process.
Resource Allocation: Evaluate the sponsor’s ability to allocate necessary resources, such as budget and personnel, to support the change initiative.
Change Champion Capability Assessment
Training and Knowledge: Measure the knowledge and training levels of change champions to ensure they are well-equipped to support the change.
Communication Skills: Assess the ability of change champions to effectively communicate the change message and address stakeholder concerns.
Influence and Leadership: Evaluate the influence and leadership capabilities of change champions, ensuring they can effectively drive and sustain the change.
By conducting these assessments, change management professionals can ensure that key stakeholders are prepared and capable of supporting the change initiative.
Change Adoption Metrics
Change adoption metrics provide insight into how well the change has been accepted and integrated into the organization. These metrics help assess the effectiveness of the change initiative and identify areas for improvement. At a portfolio level, there may be different levels of change adoption set for different initiatives depending on priority and complexity.
Key Change Adoption Metrics
Adoption Rate: Measure the percentage of stakeholders who have adopted the change, indicating the overall acceptance and integration of the new processes or systems.
Usage Metrics: Track the usage of new tools, processes, or systems introduced by the change to ensure they are being utilized as intended.
Performance Metrics: Assess the impact of the change on key performance indicators, such as productivity, efficiency, and quality, to determine the overall success of the change initiative.
By monitoring these metrics, change management professionals can gauge the success of the change initiative and identify opportunities for further improvement. To read more about change adoption metrics check out The Comprehensive Guide to Change Management Metrics for Adoption.
Change Impact and Capacity Metrics
Understanding the impact of change and the organization’s capacity to manage it is crucial for successful change management. Change impact metrics assess the effects of the change on the organization, while capacity metrics evaluate the organization’s ability to manage and sustain the change.
Change Impact Metrics
Aggregate impacts: Aggregate impacts across initiatives to form a view of how various teams and roles are impacted by various changes.
Risk Assessments: Identify potential risks associated with the change and evaluate their impact, ensuring that mitigation strategies are in place. A particular focus should be placed on business performance during change, across initiatives.
Capacity Metrics
Resource Capacity: Assess the availability of resources, such as personnel, budget, and tools, to support the change initiative.
Change Fatigue: Measure the risk for potential fatigue within the organization and its impact on stakeholders, ensuring that change initiatives are paced and driven appropriately.
Support Structures: Evaluate the effectiveness of support structures, such as training programs, information hubs, and help desks, in facilitating the change. Support structures may also include change champion networks.
By assessing change impact and capacity, change management practitioners can ensure that the organization is well-equipped to manage and sustain the change initiative.
Change Maturity Assessment
Change maturity assessments provide a comprehensive evaluation of the organization’s capability to manage change effectively. These assessments help identify strengths and weaknesses in the organization’s change management practices and provide a roadmap for improvement.
The Change Management Institute (CMI) Change Maturity Model is a comprehensive framework that takes a holistic approach to enhancing an organization’s change management maturity. It’s divided into three core functional domains, each playing a vital role in the overall journey toward maturity:
Project Change Management
Business Change Readiness
Strategic Change Leadership.
These domains serve as the foundation for achieving higher levels of maturity within the organization.
Within each of these domains, the CMI model outlines a structured path, consisting of five distinct maturity levels. These levels represent a continuum, starting at Level 1, which serves as the foundational stage, and progressing all the way to Level 5, the zenith of maturity and effectiveness. This multi-tiered approach offers organizations a clear roadmap for growth and development, ensuring that they have the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of change management.
By conducting regular change maturity assessments, change management professionals can identify areas for improvement and develop targeted strategies to enhance the organization’s change management capability.
The “Measure and Grow” principle is a powerful tool for improving change outcomes in a Scaled Agile environment. By leveraging data and fact-based decision-making, change management professionals can ensure that change initiatives are effective, aligned with strategic objectives, and continuously improving. Establishing robust metrics and assessment frameworks, such as KPIs, OKRs, change readiness and stakeholder engagement metrics, stakeholder competency assessments, change adoption metrics, change impact and capacity metrics, and change maturity assessments, is essential to applying the “Measure and Grow” principle effectively.
Incorporating these metrics and assessments into change management practices enables organizations to identify areas for improvement, make informed decisions, and drive continuous improvement. By doing so, change management professionals can enhance the effectiveness of change initiatives, ensure successful adoption, and ultimately achieve better business outcomes.
