How to Make a Change Management Plan

In the past year, there has been a lot of discussion around change management as many organizations have been forced into significant change as a result of the pandemic. While many had to quickly transform their organizations, it is important to reflect on how to thoughtfully introduce change into your organization.

In this post, we will walk through how to construct a change management plan. According to Project Manager, thinking through this process as the 4 Ws (who, what, when, why) can help guide you through your change plan.

1. Assign roles in the process (who). Make sure your team and employees understand the part they play in this change. Your process will be much more streamlined and effective if people are not wondering who does what.
2. Identify your goals/benefits of your change (what). Smart Sheet explains that in addition to informing your team of their place in the change, they need to know what they are working toward. Make your goals clear and easy to understand.
3. Set a timeline (when). Determine when you want your changes to be made and work backward. How much time will each step take? How long do you think it will take your organization to adapt? These are important questions to consider when laying out your timeline for your change plan.
4. Identify your reason for needing change (why). According to Smart Sheet, while this may seem obvious, it is best to never assume that everyone in your organization knows why this change is needed. Make it very clear why you are planning this change.

Using the 4 Ws will help you be thoughtful when creating a change management plan. Even the things that seem obvious—such as goals and team roles—need to be reevaluated in order to move forward with confidence and clarity.