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A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Posted by Marbenz Antonio on May 10, 2022

When implementing a project or initiative, both change management and project management are required. Each discipline provides the necessary framework for successfully implementing change and obtaining the desired outcomes. To be effective, however, change management and project management must collaborate. This results in a unified value proposition that lays the groundwork for tactical integration and adds value to all parts of the project, including people and technology.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT FOR PROJECT MANAGERS

The meaning of change management varies depending on your position. On a project, project managers often conceive of it as managing changing resources, processes, and people. Others could refer to it as project change management or change control. At Prosci, we define change management as the use of a defined process and tools to manage the people side of change to accomplish the desired goal.

Similarly, especially in technology projects, project delivery has developed to include a range of iterative techniques for solution design and development, such as Agile. Change management may be adjusted to fit with sequential, iterative, or even hybrid methods for solution design, development, and delivery.

COMPARE CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The following paragraphs compare common features of change management with project management, such as focus, definition, intent, process, tools, scaling factors, success assessment, and practitioners. Although the contrasts between the disciplines are highlighted in this list, it’s important to remember that change management and project management are complementary disciplines with the same goal: to achieve effective transformation.

Definitions

Change Management – the use of a structured process and tools to guide people through change to accomplish a project’s targeted goal (such as ROI).

Project Management – the use of specialized knowledge, skills, tools, and processes to provide others with something of value.

Intent

Change Management – to ensure that impacted workers accept, implement, and apply the change-related solution.

Project Management – to ensure that the solution is properly planned, developed, and provided.

Focus

Change Management – personnel and stakeholders that will be affected by a project solution or initiative (those who must adopt and use the change)

Project Management – tasks and activities involved in developing and implementing a technological solution for a change

Scaling Factors

Change Management – Change characteristics, impacted organizations’ features, and the degree of “people change” necessary

Project Management – The project’s or initiative’s complexity and degree of technological change

Process

Change Management

• Phase 1 – Prepare Approach
• Phase 2 – Manage Change
• Phase 3 – Sustain Outcomes

Project Management/Solution Development “Domains”

• Stakeholder Performance
• Team Performance
• Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance
• Planning Performance
• Project Work Performance
• Delivery Performance
• Measurement Performance
• Uncertainty Performance

Tools

Change Management

• ADKAR Model
• Readiness Assessment
• Risk Assessment
• Impact Assessment
• Project Health Assessment
• Change Management Plan
  • Communications Plan
  • Training Plan
  • Sponsor Plan
  • People Manager Plan
  • Resistance Management Plan

Project Management

• Statement of work
• Project charter
• Business case
• Work breakdown structure and/or project backlog
• Milestones schedule (e.g., Gantt chart or sprint-release planning)
• Budget estimations
• Resource allocation
• Tracking (e.g., burndown chart, Kanban board)

Success Measurement

Change Management – The factors of the human side of change that are measured include:

• Impacted workers’ speed of adoption
• Impacted workers’ ultimate usage
• Employees with impaired skills
• Obtaining desired results and outcomes*
  *This is the main focus since results and outcomes are contingent on persons embracing the change (i.e., the people-dependent contribution to ROI).

Project Management – The technical aspect of change elements is the focus of measurement, which includes:

• On-time
• On budget
• Meets technical requirements
• Achievement of results and outcomes*
  *Despite the fact that organizational advantages may not be recognized at the time of go-live or launch, some initiatives are deemed successful.

Who Practices

Change Management – not simply change management practitioners, but a coordinated structure of assistance throughout the organization:

• Sponsors of the transformation are executives and senior leaders.
• Managers and supervisors that guide and support direct reporting during the transition

Project Management – Typically used by a project manager and a project team working on a single project or initiative:

• Project managers are in charge of the tasks, activities, and resources required to carry out the technical aspects of the project.
• Subject matter specialists and organization representatives make up the project team.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Both project management and change management are important components of effective transformation. Each discipline is critical to taking your project and people from the transition stage to the intended future state, despite their differences in focus and approach. Understanding how each discipline interacts with one another is the first step toward creating a unified value proposition and laying the best possible basis for your transformation projects.

Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com