Even the most well-thought-out Change and Project delivery plans sometimes hit a bump in the road. When the business is unhappy, the Change Manager is often in a good position to support the program manager in pulling the project together and refocusing the rest of the delivery. And the sponsor will thank you for it. You'll have a bigger-picture view than others in the team, who tend to focus more on their specific KPIs.
Start by revisiting the business plan and delivery scope.
What are you delivering?
How is success being measured?
Has there been scope creep?
Have you got the resources that were initially requested?
Are your problems identified risks materialising?
Do situations outside your control impact you?Â
If the project team is already doing this, make sure you get involved.
If they are not, step up and lead them.
Be more business-focused to demonstrate the value you bring to the team. I give Mr Superhero full credit for this approach. I've often returned home from 'Project Carnage', and as someone who operated at a senior level and thinks very strategically, he would pour me a G&T and ask me questions like those. I'd realise I was spending time and energy on the wrong things.
Change Managers are often good facilitators. Volunteer to help guide the team through a check-in session. You're not providing the answers; you ask questions to help the team collaboratively find the way forward. This could be a great way to demonstrate your skills if you're trying to get into Change Management.
If there is no business case, scope or similar document, hmm, there's your problem! Use the meeting to get the bones of one documented, approved and circulated as a priority.
Next, I do (or re-do) a detailed customer journey map - Download this one here,
I'll share how to use it with a real example.
I was the Change lead on a project to upgrade point-of-sale technology in 106 food and beverage outlets across three sites. The main stakeholders were waiting staff and restaurant managers, who were used to menu changes for seasonal vegetables, not tech upgrades. When I excitedly told them they'd be taking orders via tablets, I got the same reception as if I'd said they would now be taking orders wearing roller skates and gold hotpants.
I needed to walk in their shoes and to do that, I first needed to take mine off.
I had to understand their 24-hour world serving multi-millionaires was different from my experience doing the Sunday lunch shift in Sizzler 30 years ago. (OMG, it was 40 years ago; how can that be?)
I created personas for the change recipients and mapped the journey in detail for each persona. (Generic persona for you! download )
Here is an example of one step in my customer journey for one persona.
Eileen is a 60-year-old experienced server who has worked in this outlet for 20 years. (I always picture my mum, who is scared to withdraw money from an ATM).
How will Eileen feel when I announce the change?Â
Kev has told me he's heard there will be a new high-tech ordering system where customers have tablets on their tables. Why do they need us? Jobs will go as customers can do it themselves. I'm scared of technology; I can barely use the till. All these youngsters will pick it up fast, but I'm too slow. I hate it when anything changes. When they put the new tills in seven years ago, it was a terrible experience. Not again!
What is going on in Eileen's head?
What if I can't do it? Will I lose my job? If everything has a button, how will I do special orders for the high rollers? Head office must understand what it's like to have 30 rowdy people in a queue at 11 pm on a Friday. They'll give me fewer shifts, and I won't get tips as I'll get all the orders wrong.
How do I, as the Change Manager, want Eileen to feel?
I want to avoid Chinese whispers where Eileen gets the wrong information from the wrong people. Then, I want Eileen to feel excited about the change. I want her to understand that there will be plenty of time to practice and that we will patiently guide her through the process. I want her to see the new tills, which will free up time to do what she does best: talk to her customers and give them the best experience.Â
The bottom of my customer journey map has swim lanes for project delivery. I detail who is responsible for helping Eileen at each journey stage.Â
Where will she first hear about this change?Â
Who will consistently deliver briefings in a 24/7 operation when some staff only work once a week?Â
How do we make sure her shift leader has the correct information?
How do we address incorrect corridor conversations?Â
As deployment starts, different parts of the project might start to work in Silos. Installation teams focus on installing more widgets faster. Project Managers focus on on-time delivery within budgets. Trainers become more polished at content delivery. Everyone gets better at their job but needs to catch up on what success is and how the journey feels for those on the receiving end.
A detailed customer journey map, including when and how the customer interacts with the different areas of the project, can help. You may discover a new device is installed, and training happens, but a server needs time to practice or get onsite help. Focus on the Customer Journey.
In the real-life example I shared above, this map helped identify problems caused by teams not swimming in their designated lanes. The installation team became so efficient they deployed devices ahead of time. The Tech delivered 'just-in-time training', ignoring the planned training schedule where servers like Eileen could practice away from customers and expert floorwalkers were on-hand for the first 36 hours.Â
Using a customer journey map, I could clearly explain to the GM of technology why the restaurant manager had to comp hundreds of dollars of meals on day one of the installation.Â
Next time you feel like you can't see the wood for the trees, see if these two things will help you see more clearly.
Revisit the business case and scope.
Focus on the customer journey.
There are many other areas to consider, and the support and backing of an engaged sponsor is paramount. Even if you don't have time to do a deep dive, self-reflection and evaluation in these two areas can help you frame conversations with the right people.
Connect with Sharon Connolly on LinkedIn
Visit the Change Superhero website for training and templates at www.changesuperhero.com.au
Book a 30 minute chat with Sharon here
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