The Main Change Management Phases & Key Deliverables
What’s the Best OCM Process for Your Organization?
Navigating organizational change can be a challenging journey, but with the right strategies and change management steps in place, it becomes an opportunity for growth and improvement. In this article, we will delve into the key stages of change management process according to the OCM Solution Change Management Framework, shedding light on the crucial milestones that pave the way for successful transformations that you can apply.
Effective change management is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor; it requires a thoughtful and structured approach, and one of the cornerstones of a successful change initiative is the use of distinct change management steps, each strategically designed to incorporate tangible deliverables. These OCM deliverables act as guideposts, providing clarity and measurable progress throughout the process.
Well-defined phases of change management with clear deliverables streamline the transition and foster a culture of adaptability, innovation, and continuous improvement within the fabric of an organization.
The Management of Change Process
Irrespective of the type of change that a company is implementing, it is the employees, front line managers and impacted stakeholders that have to embrace and adopt the change. Unfortunately, it is standard human nature not to like change. An employee’s comfort with the current status is extraordinarily powerful, and the uncertainty of change creates anxiety, resistance, and stress.
As such, it is extremely important that an efficient OCM change program includes well-proven change management process steps that can be applied to move employees from their current state to the future business state.
Many organizations try to do change management ad hoc, without any organizational change management process steps. This leads to several problems, such as inconsistent results, end-users being confused about what is expected, difficulty tracking change management deliverables, and the inability to compare metrics & KPIs across multiple projects.
Using the five OCMS change management phases provides a solid and proven process to implementing change management that is scalable and repeatable. In the following sections, we’ll discuss what these phases of change management are and explain this popular OCM Process.
Applying 5-Phase Change Management Process Steps
According to the OCMS Framework, effective organizational change management process steps are incorporated into five phases.
- Phase 1 – Assess: Assess and understand the project and its impacts on the organization.
- Phase 2 – Develop: Develop detailed change management strategies & plans.
- Phase 3 – Deploy: Deploy change management plan to prepare the organization for the change.
- Phase 4 – Normalize: Engage and support people to help them successfully adopt and sustain the changes.
- Phase 5 – Exit: Complete final reports, asset hand-offs, and knowledge transfers.
Within each of these change management phases are a set of key change management deliverables, plans, and strategies that need to be designed, developed, implemented, tracked, and managed based on best change management principles.
Examples of organizational change initiatives for which you should implement a management of change process include any changes to a company’s existing technology, legacy systems, software or tools, as well as changes to the company’s business processes, people, roles and culture. Basically, any project that impacts the way that employees, customers, shareholders, or vendors do things should deploy these stages of change management process steps.
Overview of the Change Management Process & Steps
The first phase in the OCM process involves conducting a series of change assessments to understand the scope, scale, and impacts of the change. These assessments include:
- Project Assessment
- Target Audience Assessment
- Change Risk Assessment
- Change Impact Assessments
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Communication Assessment
- Org Readiness Assessment
- Change Champions Network Assessment
- Training / Coaching Assessment
The second phase in the change management steps involves designing and developing the OCM strategy and plans needed to help impacted end users (employees, customers, leaders, partners, etc.) go through the change process successfully.
During this phase, the change management deliverables are focused on creating plans for communications, target audience engagement, training, coaching, resistance management, and change normalization. The deliverables in this change management phase include:
- Create OCM Strategy Playbook
- Develop a roadmap for change management process steps
- Develop the overall OCM Plan, which includes the communications plan, engagement plan, training plan, resistance management, normalization, etc.
The third phase of management of change process is all about the deployment of the change management plans. This is a phase where the OCM team is actively communicating with the target audiences and change champions, mitigating resistance, conducting training and coaching, and tracking readiness.
The change management deliverables in this phase have to do with the active deployment of change management, including:
- Deploying communications
- Target audience engagement (workshops, meetings, town halls, etc.)
- Training and coaching deployment
- Managing and resolving resistance
- Tracking change readiness
- Managing Change Champions Network
- Preparing for “Go-Live” adoption tracking
The fourth phase of the OCM process involves executing efficient change management process steps aimed at normalizing the change. Simply executing OCM communication, stakeholder engagement, training, resistance management, and coaching plans is not enough.
You will need to monitor how well people are adopting the change by evaluating the results of your change management process steps, determining the root causes of any gaps and resistance, and implementing corrective actions.
In addition, celebrating successes and quick wins are two efficient change management process steps that should be implemented during this fourth phase. These change reinforcement strategies and steps are vital for building momentum and creating an environment where success is rewarded.
The final of the phases of change management is the fifth phase, which is about exiting the project. In this “housekeeping” phase, the change management team is creating and sharing its final report of successes and lessons learned. Also done during this final stages is to transfer any knowledge resources (for example, training guides) and other details to the permanent owners of those processes moving forward, and to close out and formally close the project.
Deliverables in this phase of the management of change process include:
Do you have any questions about the stages of change management process or organizational change management process steps? Just reach out and let us know.
Conclusion: Change Management Process Steps
Mastering the art of change management is not merely about navigating the currents of transformation but about embracing a strategic and adaptable approach. As we’ve journeyed through the key phases of change management, it becomes evident that success lies in the thoughtful integration of distinct steps, each fortified with tangible deliverables.
The importance of these milestones cannot be overstated—they serve as the foundation for transparency, accountability, and ultimately, success. Change is not just an inevitable part of organizational life; it’s an opportunity to innovate, evolve, and thrive. Armed with the knowledge of these stages and the power of deliverables, organizations can navigate change with confidence, turning challenges into catalysts for lasting improvement and growth.
Click below for a deep-dive review of each phase of the change management process:
FAQ – Change Management Phases & Steps
What are the 5 change management phases?
The OCM Solution framework is a comprehensive OCM process. It emphasizes a “manage by deliverables” approach and is success focused. The 5 phases are:
- (Phase 1) Assess: Assess and understand the project and its impacts.
- (Phase 2) Develop: Develop detailed change management plans.
- (Phase 3) Deploy: Deploy OCM support and prepare the organization for the change.
- (Phase 4) Normalize: Engage and support people to normalize the change adoption.
- (Phase 5) Exit: Complete final reporting and handoffs
What should you do in the first phase of change management?
The first phase in the OCM process involves conducting a series of change assessments to understand the scope, scale, and impacts of the change.
Why should you use structured change management steps?
Well-defined phases of change management with clear deliverables streamline the transition and foster a culture of adaptability, innovation, and continuous improvement within the fabric of an organization.
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