The purpose of applying change management on a project is to ensure that it achieves its objectives by driving adoption and usage by the people impacted by change

According to Prosci’s research, integrating and engaging project management is the sixth greatest contributor to successful change management initiatives. Often, this integration is viewed at the project plan level, involving a unified plan that combines both project management and change management activities. This plan includes assigned resources, start and end dates for each task, and detailed dependencies and predecessors. 

What About Integrating Governance? 

Project governance, a fundamental aspect of project management, involves processes and rules that guide project execution, clarifying roles and responsibilities. This should also be a cornerstone of change management. In the Prosci Methodology, particularly in Phase 2 – Manage Change, the importance of planning, acting, and tracking performance is emphasised. Applying project management governance principles ensures that change management activities are aligned and on track. 

Why Is It Important? 

Applying change management ensures that project objectives are met by driving adoption and usage among those impacted. Key reasons for integrating governance include: 

Drives accountability: By providing a structured framework for decision-making, governance ensures that executives, project teams, and employees remain accountable and aligned with the project's objectives. This clarity in roles and responsibilities fosters a sense of ownership and commitment, reducing the likelihood of tasks falling through the cracks and ensuring that everyone is working towards the same goals. 

Ensures track delivery: Governance helps in monitoring the progress of change activities, ensuring they are completed on schedule and within budget. By setting clear timelines and financial parameters, it mitigates the risks of delays and cost overruns, which can derail a project's success. 

Facilitates informed decision-making: With governance in place, decisions are made by the right people with access to relevant information. This ensures that choices are based on comprehensive data and insights, leading to more effective and strategic outcomes that align with the organisation's broader objectives. 

Enhances communication: Governance structures facilitate effective communication by identifying the correct stakeholders and ensuring they are kept informed about the progress of change initiatives. This transparency helps manage expectations and keeps everyone engaged and supportive of the change. 

Manages scope and mitigates scope creep: By clearly defining the scope of change initiatives, governance helps prevent scope creep, which can lead to project delays and increased costs. It ensures that any changes to the project scope are carefully evaluated and aligned with the overall goals, maintaining focus and efficiency. 

Download: The Value of Integrating Change Management and Project Management

Practical Strategies for Effective Integration 

Simplicity is often key when introducing and aligning change management governance. Here are 5 effective tips: 

1. Hold regular meetings to track change management activities, documenting minutes that include decisions, attendance, dates, venues, actions, and responsibilities. 

2. Review previous minutes for accuracy at the start of each meeting. 

3. Distribute minutes to all key stakeholders. 

4. Have each change management workstream, such as communications and training, prepare status reports highlighting progress, issues, and risks. 

5. Integrate risk, issues, budget tracking and decision logs with the project management logs. 

Integrating change management and project management governance is crucial for monitoring and advancing change management plans. It facilitates integration with project management and helps build change management understanding and competence, paving the way for successful change initiatives. 

At Prosci Europe we have been helping our clients with building change capability over many years, so if you would like to know more about how to go about it, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.