Introduction to change management communications for technology projects. Use communications in a change management program for a tech project that results in happy end-users who adopt and embrace change.

1. IT Change Communications
An MJ Hudak Consultants Presentation
Make end users happy
Don’t sock them with info
just before go-live

2. Goal
This presentation is for the IT
leader who wants end users to
happily adopt new technology
and embrace the change daily.

3. Background
Content originally from white paper created for boutique IT
consultancy, showing how communications:
• Contributes to end user adoption of a new technology
• Provides more value for clients and support staff in field

4. What not to do
Don’t:
• Depend on training
before go-live as only
contact with end users
• Send technical email
just before go-live as
only communication
• View communication as
one-way: you to the
end user

5. Change your perspective
• It’s a change project. Not an IT
project.
• Technology is causing the
change.
• People have to change because
of the technology.

6. Getting to success
• Communicate early and
often what’s happening
and its benefits to end
users
• Achieve the business
objective by enabling
people to change how
they do their jobs on a
daily basis

7. Start with the business plan
• Communication planning starts
with the business plan when
budget approval is sought
• Establish project name, brand
and benefits now
• Why start this early? These
are core messages and changes
made later may cause
confusion

8. I like message maps
A message map is:
• A non-linear version of
talking points
• A diagram with
flexibility to tell your
story by adapting it to
the audience
• Developed by a key
group of decision
makers

9. Message map > core message
• A Message Map
leads to
development of
core messaging
• Consistently use
core message in
all
communication
Right diagram:
Example of how
core message is
repurposed
Core Messaging Content
Vision statement
Project description, changes
Business benefits
Rollout sequence and timing
Project contact information and
feedback mechanism
Core Content
Project Description
Boiler Plate
In-sentence description
Message map and/or talking points
Benefits
Contact Information
Provides Direction
Strategic direction
Launch and program
communications
End user project portal
FAQs
T-/T+ communications
Education materials
And more. . .

10. The Adoption Curve is your framework
• Standard phases in
most change
management
methodologies
• Early stages of the
Adoption Curve –
awareness and
understanding – are
heavily communication
oriented

11. Align communication with key milestones
•General information
to create awareness
•Delivered by
Executive Sponsor
Launch
•More detailed
information by
function, department
•Cascaded through
leaders and manages
Design •Application of
changes to daily work
•Delivered by
managers and change
agents
Build
• Acceptance starts
here
Train
• Adoption starts
at rollout
Rollout
• Internalization
comes when the
change is fully
incorporated into
daily work.
After
Rollout
• Align communication activities with project milestones
• Example below depends on culture and project

12. Communication path to adoption
• A communication
framework aligns
with project phases
• Avoid the
communication silo
• Feedback,
assessment and
measurement are
ongoing throughout
all stages
Business
Requirements Design Development
Testing &
Training
Deployment Close

13. Objective
Learning and ramp-up to fully
understand the project and
what’s needed to be successful
• Conduct literature review,
assessments and 1/1 interviews to
understand end user impacts and
needs
• Develop strategic plan based on
findings
• Integrate change management
milestones with project plan
Up front work leads to success

14. “I hear change is coming”
Objective
Core communication messages
create awareness with end
users about project, such as
• Upcoming change
• Time frame
• Impact on their daily work
• Benefits to organization

15. “This makes sense”
Objective
Individuals gain a deeper
understanding of What’s In It
For Me (WIIFM)
• Departmentally/locally of the change
• How the change benefits them
personally
• Current status and timing of the
change

16. “This is the right thing to do”
Objective
End users accept and embrace
the change
• Usually at completion of training
• Just prior to deployment
• Readiness assessment provides gap
analysis prior to deployment

17. “I do it and own it”
Objective
End users sustain the change
and productivity of daily work
is back to normal

18. Ongoing feedback is critical
Take action on what you
hear
• Listen to end users through
feedback mechanisms
established early
• Change Agents are ambassadors
to end users and provide
feedback
• Change resistance assessments
identify where course
corrections are needed

19. Who are change agents?
Candidate 1 Candidate 2 Candidate 3 Candidate 4
Early adopter
Trusted by
peers
Positive about
change
Good
communicator
Willing and
able
Change agents are
• Early adoptors
• Trusted by peers
• Usually not managers or
supervisors of direct reports
• Positive about change
• Flexible
• Good communicators
• Boots on the ground
A well-developed matrix
helps identify the best
Change Agents for your
project and culture

20. Quarterly plans provide road map, alignment
This template is an example of a detailed communication plan
Item Spokes-
person
Release
Timing
Delivery
Channel
Key Messages Target Audience
Exec Launch
Announcement
Exec Sponsor • Benefits
• Description
• Timing
• Impact

21. The Valley of Despair is normal
• It’s normal for individuals to
become discouraged as they
go through different
emotional phases about
change
• Don’t panic
• The goal is to shorten the
time “in despair” and to
keep it from recycling
• Avoid being the
hamster in the Circle
of Chaos

22. One person at a time
• A mantra of Prosci, a
leading change management
research organization, is
that:
Change happens one
person at a time
• Understand personal
reactions as end users move
through change
• Mitigate the negative and
move each person to his/her
own New Beginnings

23. Key elements for successful change
 Strong executive sponsorship
 Integrated change program addressing all
levels of the organization
 Consistent communication early and often
 Ongoing feedback and assessments

24. Martha’ client work
• Infrastructure separation for global pharma company
• New product and online app system for insurance company
• Communications for ERP business plan for global manufacturing
company
• Research and recommendations for Mobile Center of Excellence
for food company
• Desktop migrations ranging from 2,000 to 65,000 end users
• Communications Lead for ERP projects for regulated utility and
wholesale distribution companies
• M&A communications for telecom merger and acquisition of IT
consultancy

25. Why Martha Hudak
• 10+ years change management experience for technology projects
• Advised clients in diverse industry sectors, from mid-sized to
Fortune 500
• Analytical skills and broad experience provide on-target plans and
smooth execution
• Change management methodologies: Prosci ADKAR, Accenture, in-
house and own communications framework
• Marketing, MarCom and CorpCom background

26. Thank you for your time
Contact Martha Hudak at:
info@mjhudak.com
Visit the MJ Hudak web site at
• www.mjhudak.com
or go directly to
• www.communicate-change.com
Linked In
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthahudak