Top 10 Diagnostic Questions and Top 3 ROI Factors For Change Management

How do you know if your project can benefit from8. What will success look like at project end? 1 year
people change management (PCM)? How do youpost? 5 years post?
know if your organization is ready to leverage these9. Have you considered building this competency for
best practices successfully?re-use in other initiatives?
When we discuss a project with a prospective client10. Are there any questions I have not asked that
we are interested in a few preliminary key issues.you wish I had? Any other factors that would shape
They are directional and are intended to undercoverthe success of this scope of work?
expectations and readiness. They shape the uniqueThese typically uncover the tip of the iceberg. Few
solution proposal.organizations in North America have developed
1. What prompted you to consider leveraging PCM?beyond a level 2 Maturity Model: "Some elements of
What is your / your organization's experience withchange management are being applied in some
PCM? (None, Failed, Front-end only, Follow thru?)isolated projects" (Prosci Research).
What would you like to be different? Have youThere is great opportunity to capture ROI benefits
considered doing nothing? Doing this internally?earlier and more deeply (thus aggregating more of
2. Tell me about this initiative:a. What is the visionthe benefits) by leveraging speed of adoption,
statement?b. How risky is this initiative? Howproficiency and utilization.
complex? Has the organization attempted this, orThat is to say, if the Change Designates (the
similar initiatives, before? How did they go, on time,employees who are changing the way they work)
on budget, on ROI?c. How will you know if theadopt the new process or technology earlier and
organization meets the initiative objectives? Do youmore accurately then there is less risk and earlier
have success metrics? Are you prepared to track,returns.
analyse, report and review?Change creates instability and introduces risk. The
3. How important is PCM considered in yourgreater the adverse impact, the greater the
initiative?a. Have the stakeholders been identified andresistance, the more significant the cost and risk. The
engaged?b. Do all the stakeholders agree on thedegree of adverse impact can be mitigated with
importance of PCM?c. Who is the Sponsor? Is he/sheeffective change management.
prepared to be active and visible? Does he/she haveEarlier, deeper sustainable ROI with People Change
influence with the stakeholders?Management
4. What is your role today? Will you be involvedThe three factors that most positively affect ROI?
throughout the project? What is your experienceProsci provides the best descriptions of ROI
with PCM?factors::o Speed of Adoption: How quickly are people
5. How much change is the organizational currentlyup and running on the new systems, processes, and
undergoing? How much change has your organizationjob roles?o Proficiency: Are individuals performing at
experienced in the past 3-5 years? Re-orgs, systems,the level expected in the design of change?o Ultimate
etc. How do employees feel about change?Utilization: Of the total population, how many
6. Have you assessed your organization's, theseemployees are demonstrating "buy-in" and are using
stakeholders', current readiness for change, i.e. PCMthe new solutions?
readiness assessments? What kinds of results do youThis is about far more than communications and
see on Employee Satisfaction Surveys, employeetraining, although they have important roles. It is
turnover / absenteeism?about getting people past the failure to see, failure to
7. How much impact will employee (or other businessmove and failure to finish.
partners') engagement make to your ROI? HowIt is about fully realizing the vision efficiently and
much impact will resistance make? What are youeffectively and moving on to the next major
prepared to do to get to your ideal adoption rates?opportunity.