Project Toolkit

Business Change Management

Business Change Management

Planning and managing the people-side of change to ensure successful adoption.

Business Change Management

Business Change Management (BCM) focuses on the people side of change - helping individuals and teams transition from the current state to the future state.

Why Change Management Matters

Key Insight: Projects deliver outputs, but benefits are only realised when people change how they work. Without effective change management, even well-delivered projects fail to achieve their objectives.

Change Management vs Project Management

Project Management Change Management
Delivers the solution Ensures adoption of the solution
Focuses on tasks and deliverables Focuses on people and behaviour
Technical implementation Organisational readiness
“Build it right” “Make it stick”

Key Change Management Activities

Activity Purpose
Stakeholder analysis Identify who is affected and how
Impact assessment Understand the scale of change
Change readiness Assess organisational preparedness
Communication planning Inform and engage stakeholders
Training planning Build required skills and knowledge
Resistance management Address concerns and barriers
Reinforcement Sustain the change post-implementation

Change Impact Assessment

Assess the impact on affected groups:

Dimension Questions
Process How will ways of working change?
Technology What new systems/tools are introduced?
Organisation Are structures or roles changing?
Skills What new capabilities are needed?
Culture Does this challenge existing norms?

The Change Curve

People typically move through stages when experiencing change:

flowchart LR A[Shock] --> B[Denial] B --> C[Frustration] C --> D[Depression] D --> E[Experiment] E --> F[Decision] F --> G[Integration] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E,F,G blue

Understanding where people are on this curve helps tailor support and communication.

Building Change Readiness

Organisational Readiness

  • Leadership alignment and sponsorship
  • Clear vision and case for change
  • Capacity to absorb change
  • History with previous changes

Individual Readiness

  • Awareness of the need to change
  • Understanding of what’s changing
  • Belief in ability to change
  • Motivation to make the change

Communication Planning

Effective change communication answers:

  • Why are we changing?
  • What is changing?
  • When will it happen?
  • How will it affect me?
  • Where can I get help?

Communication Principles

  • Start early and communicate often
  • Use multiple channels
  • Tailor messages to audiences
  • Allow two-way dialogue
  • Be honest about challenges

Managing Resistance

Type of Resistance Response
Lack of awareness Communicate the why
Fear of unknown Provide information and support
Loss of control Involve people in decisions
Lack of skills Provide training and coaching
Bad timing Acknowledge and address workload
Past experience Learn from and reference history

Change Network

Build a network of change champions:

  • Identify influential people in affected areas
  • Engage them early in the process
  • Equip them to support their peers
  • Use them as feedback channels
  • Recognise their contribution

Measuring Change Success

Measure What It Tells You
Awareness levels Do people know about the change?
Training completion Are people equipped?
Adoption rates Are people using the new way?
Proficiency Are people using it correctly?
Engagement scores How do people feel about it?
Benefits realisation Are outcomes being achieved?
Last updated: 13 January 2026
Themes

Change

People