Leveraging Project Management and Change Management To Control Your Project Destiny and Guarantee SuccessRUN YOUR PROJECT, DON’T LET IT RUN YOU!

Rob LeonardChief Operating OfficerSability, Inc.

Our Experience

• Right-Size Your Project and Change Management- Mid-sized projects and companies need good PM and CM too

• This Stuff Is Simple…- Simple tools and techniques for success

- Someone has to be responsible for doing them though

- Diligence is key

• Planning = Success- Without a map, you won’t get to your destination

Project Management

Common Mistakes

• Don’t assume the vendor is going to do things they aren’t

• Be sure to assign the Project Management role to the right person

• Don’t underestimate the effort you and your team will need to put into the project

Project Management

The right person and one spreadsheet is all it takes!

• Plan Ahead – Look over the horizon• Don’t allow ostriches on your

projects• Keep people talking and ask a lot

of questions• Track what needs to be done and

hold people accountable• Have the time to do it well• Find someone who has done this

before

Project Management

The right person and one spreadsheet is all it takes!

Simple Tools (MS Project Not Required)

• Project Plan• Action Item List• Effective Status Meetings

Change Management

Change Management What is it?

Change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are thoroughly and smoothly implemented, and that the

lasting benefits of change are achieved.

Why do I need to do it?The focus is on the wider impacts of change, particularly on people

and how they, as individuals and teams, move from the current situation to the new one.

CM addresses psychological and organizational resistance to changes which can be detrimental to a project’s long-term impact

and success.

Change Management

Change Management activities occur throughout a project, but they must be started early to be effective.

We are going to review two simple CM tools:• Impact Analysis• Communication Plan

Change Management: Impact Analysis

1. What is changing?2. How will the changes impact each employee / group?3. What is their reaction likely to be?4. What can we do to improve their understanding,

commitment and acceptance of the changes?

-- Simple, just another spreadsheet. --

Change Management: Impact Analysis

• Impact Summary – Describe the before and after.• Impacted Stakeholders or Employee Groups – Who and how much?

- High: The change has significant impact to the stakeholder including new processes,changed job expectations, and/or new ways of doing work

- Medium: The change has a noticeable impact to the stakeholder but the job and/or way of doing work fundamentally remains the same

- Low: The change may be recognized by the stakeholder but does not directly change the way of doing work

• Change Type- Process: What will change with respect to current activities, workflows and procedures

- People: Who will perform new/revised processes, workflows, activities

- Tech/Tools: What tools will he needed and how will these tools he used

• Change Management Needs- Communications: List potential communications and socialization efforts needed due to the change

- Training/Learning: List potential training/ learning needed due to the change Organizational/HR: List any HR activities needed due to the change

Example: Switch from manual timecards to biometric fingerprint clocks• Type of Change – People, Process and Tech/Tools• Stakeholder or Employee Group Impact

- IT (High) - Managers (Low)- HR (Med)- Employees (High)

• Change Management Needs- Communications

• Early Awareness - Distribute FAQ• Alleviate Fears of Fingerprint Technology• Update Corporate Privacy Policy

- Training • Biometric Enrollment Process • Clock In/Out Process

Change Management: Impact Analysis

Change Management: Project Communications

Guiding Principles of Project Communications

A few key messages Identify stakeholder and employee groups Communicate at appropriate, regular intervals to each group Use plain language and avoid jargon Use multiple channels for messages to assure good reach Take time to celebrate and publicize successes Be transparent communicating tough messages Keep the audience in mind, highlighting "what's in it for me"

Vehicle Strengths Weaknesses Effort

Face to Face• Town Halls• Presentations• Brown Bags• Staff Meetings• Special Interest

Group Meetings

• Allows leadership to address large group

• Consistent messaging• Clarify information interactively• Can provide time for feedback/

Q&A• Develop, build and maintain

relationships• Can be recorded and archived• Conveys leadership support

• Complex logistics• Time consuming for

planners and presenters

• Managing participant feedback and input

• Ability to publicly present information

• Prep time

High

Change Management: Project Communications

Vehicle Strengths Weaknesses EffortOnline• Webinars• Video• e-newsletters• Audio block• Website• Targeted email• Announcements• Intranet Stories

• Can be archived and revisited

• Accessible anywhere anytime

• Information can be easily shared

• Measurable• Able to target to specific

audience• Offers a variety of

channels to reinforce message

• Efficient, low cost and paperless

• Provides relevant and timely updates

• Can be ignored• Some online channels

involve complex logistics

• Needs feedback mechanism

• Dedicated resources for updates and maintenance

• People may feel overwhelmed by too much email communications

• Potential to be unclear or misinterpreted

Low

Change Management: Project Communications

Vehicle Strengths Weaknesses Effort

Print• Newsletter• Brochure

• Assures consistency of message

• Controlled content• Tangible and portable

• One-way communication

• Time consuming to produce

• Information does not stay current

• Expensive and cumbersome distribution

Low to High

Change Management: Project Communications

Vehicle Strengths Weaknesses EffortSocial Media• Facebook• Twitter• Yammer

• Promotes a sense of cohesiveness

• Gets the message out faster and to more people

• Enhances brand awareness

• Provides the opportunity to build relationships

• Cost-Effective

• Time consuming to update content

• Need quick turnaround to feedback and suggestions made online

• Security• Span and negative

online comments

Low to Medium

Change Management: Project Communications

Change Management: Communication Plan

This one is a spreadsheet with a timeline!

Wrapping It Up: Key Messages

Wrapping It Up: Key Messages

• Run your project, don’t let it run you!- Planning = Success- Keep it Simple- Diligence is Key

• Project Management- You are responsible for this- The right person- A good spreadsheet- Accountability

• Change Management- Impact Analysis- Communications Plan

Thank You

Sability has been a trusted name in Human Capital and Workforce Management consulting for over 20 years. 

www.sability.com

Rob LeonardChief Operating OfficerSability, Inc.