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Wrong #5: Being comfortable with the as-is situation
A “smoothly-running” project is every Project Manager’s dream. A change, for
them, is an aberration that requires extra attention and time. It is comfortable to deliver a
project without any changes during execution.
I have seen Project Managers comparing every request from Customer, during the
course of the project, against the original Requirements Document and heaving a sigh of
relief if the request is not part of the defined scope. If it is a change, it can be refused!
Wrong #6: Believing that Change means Cost
RequirementChanges tend to get looked at with a sense of loathing because it is
always associated with increased costs. This is not true. Most often the origin of a change
is actually directed towards reduction of total costs (to the business) directly or indirectly,
and the reduction outweighs the cost of implementing the change.
The Balance of Change
The art of Change Management deals with the act of shifting the balance of the
response to a change, from playing defensive to showing leadership. I have called this
“The Balance of Change”.
Change control is primarily about being flexible and prepared enough to go for a
positive change together with the required amount of analysis and caution. Things go
wrong when caution, without the right analysis, leads to outright refusal and unwillingness.
This situation is that of “Change Denial”. The situation can get further worse leading to
complete lack of belief in change, which customer’s perceive as “Change Aversion”
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What needs to be done?
Do the wrong things right, and then get the following right things right too! Let us
now look at the key things that need to be done “Right”.
Right #1: Start with an “Yes”
While you may still be learning how to say “No” to your boss, start practicing saying
“Yes” to a change! The first look at every change should be positive. The willingness to
accept a change enables you to say a “No” to it more easily without being perceived as
being averse to change. The positive frame of mind helps in a clean unbiased analysis and
better judgment.
Right #2: Follow the process!
Yes, follow your Change Management process. Know it well to avoid falling into
the “trap” (Avoiding the process is not the solution). Change Management is complex and
the processes and tools are important. Adhere to them but look at them as what they are
i.e. they are just the processes to achieve the objective and not the objective itself.
Right #3: Go beyond the process! Be a Change Leader
The biggest enemy of Change is Time. (What an irony considering that things
change with time!). The challenge posed by a Change to a Project Manager is inversely
proportional to the time available to manage it. Increase the time available by anticipating
changes. This is “Change Foresight”. Do not wait for a change to happen. Try to predict
it and be prepared. The “Change Tree” concept used to manage a change can also be
used to predict the possible other changes because of that change. Try to be a step ahead
of the change.
Sway and bend the causes of changes to bring the desired changes to effect. This
isChange Leadership. While it is important to move from “Change Denial” towards
leadership, accepting imposed changes without being convinced about them is not
leadership. Lead your customers to help them make the right changes. Have your Change
Management processes encompass the steps required to consciously foresee and
influence changes.
Right #4: Evaluate long-term benefits
Most systems take into account the impact of a change, particularly on the costs.
Add to it the long-term benefits as well. A benefit of a positive change is likely to be seen
either in the form of reduced cost in some stage of the life-cycle or increased business for
someone. This is not easy to measure. Nevertheless, this aspect needs to be captured to
get a good and complete view of the change.
Change is often associated with risk. It is a fact that a greater number of changes
can amount to higher degree of risk but a change can also be initiated to reduce or
eliminate an existing risk in the long run. While Change Management systems usually do a
good job of quantitatively capturing impact on cost and schedule, the impact on risks gets
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ignored. A good Change Management system is one that is well integrated with the Risk
Management process or system.
Right #5: Decide in a group
Quantifiable parameters do help in taking a decision on changes but factors that
cause a change or the factors created by a change are usually not as objective. A wrong
change can lead to a series of other wrong changes. Taking the decision on a change
amongst a group of people (stakeholders) along with the help of tools is usually more
effective.
Right #6: Learn from the past
Learning from experience, Project Managers can move towards leading the
changes instead of reacting to them. From the Change Tree, it is be possible to find out the
shortest route to achieve a desired Change that has happened in the past.
Right #7: Remove “Number of Changes” and “Impact on schedule and cost”
from all management reviews!
This may sound like taking it too far but the fact remains that such practices in
management reviews lead to anxiousness about the changes and this finally leads to
aversion. Change definitely requires monitoring but reviews should rather look at the same
data in terms of cause, benefits and risks instead of “numbers” and “impact”.
Right # 8: If you’ve got to change, you’ve got to change!
Knowing that a change is required and still not changing is blasphemy for a Project
Manager. Delaying a required change increases the Impact Changes manifold (the
“Change Reaction”) resulting in increased difficulty of managing the change and reduced
chances of getting the benefits. The approach of “Let’s move on, we will see later” can
workon some occasions but fails on most.
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The Change Management System
Make sure you have the most comprehensive Change Management process and
system and then make sure it also covers the following aspects of every Change. The
system should quantify these parameters (when possible), and help you to use them too to
come to a decision.
Parameter
Description
Causal Change
The change in the Change Tree which is the most likely cause
for this change
Type of Change
Risk, Scope, Cost, People, Law etc. (Scope is not the only
type of change)
Expected business The key business drivers for the change and it’s other long
benefits
and short-term benefits
Foreseen
Yes or No (to evaluate effectiveness of Change Foresight)
Risks
Risks associated with implementing the change ( and not just
the direct impact)
Costs saved
Direct or indirect costs saved (and not just the cost of
implementing the Change)
Impact Changes
Changes predicted as a result of this change (along with
probability ratings)
Impact of not making the “What-if”; impact of not making the Change
Change
Conclusion
We ought to respect changes. The very reason one has a business on hand is
because the customer wanted to make a change. As a result change needs to be
managed, to get better results from the change and not to resist it. Modern non-practical
theories on Change Management, certification-driven Quality Processes and a maze of
Change Management related guidelines, templates, forms and checklists have made
Project Managers often fall into the trap of Change Denialand customers perceive it as
Change Aversion. This was not the intent of "Change Management". Good project
management is not about identifying a "Change", analyzing the impact on cost and
scheduleand then refusing it! Good project management is about the ability to foresee
possible changes faster than others; it is about using the skills required for controlling the
impact and maximizing the benefits ofa change and above all having the willingness to
change.Getting everything right the first time is the best thing one can expect but the next
best thing todois to change at the right time. We (and our customers) do need Change
Management; we need the right kind of Change Management that tilts towards leadership
in the Balance of Change.
References
None
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