Your business project is failing! It is not surprising, as more than 70% of projects fail to deliver against business expectations. The top reasons for project failures include:

  • Ineffective sponsorship
  • Unclear goals
  • Inadequate planning
  • Lack of stakeholder engagement
  • Insufficient resource allocation
  • Lack of risk management

You can however save a failing project with change management:

Assess the current situation (change impact)

Evaluate the project’s current state, including the reasons for its failure, its goals, stakeholders’ expectations, available resources and any constraints. By understanding the root causes of the project’s failure, you can determine required changes.

Establish a change management team

Form a team consisting of key stakeholders, project managers, subject matter experts and change management specialists. This team will need to drive the efforts and ensure effective communication and collaboration throughout the process.

Reconfirm desired outcomes

Clearly articulate the goals and objectives of the project and establish a vision for success. Identify the specific outcomes you want to achieve through the change management process.

Identify challenges and required changes

Analyze the project’s shortcomings and identify the necessary changes to address the issues. This may involve reassessing the project scope, timeline, resources, processes, or team composition. Consider involving the project team and stakeholders in this analysis to gather diverse perspectives.

Develop a change management plan

Create a comprehensive plan outlining the steps, resources, and timeline for implementing the required changes. Define the communication strategy, stakeholder engagement approach, and risk management strategies. The plan should include specific actions for each change, responsibilities, and metrics for evaluating progress.

Engage stakeholders and communicate the changes

Effective communication is crucial for successful change management. Clearly communicate the reasons for the project’s failure, the proposed changes, and the benefits of the new approach. Engage stakeholders at all levels, including project team members, sponsors, and end-users, to gain their support and address any concerns.

Drive the changes

Implement the identified changes according to the change management plan. Assign responsibilities to the relevant team members and monitor progress regularly. Address any roadblocks, provide necessary resources, and ensure that the changes are executed effectively.

Monitor and evaluate

Continuously monitor the project’s progress and evaluate the impact of the changes. Collect feedback from stakeholders and measure key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of the changes. Use this information to make adjustments and improvements as needed.

Provide support and training

Offer support to the project team and stakeholders during the transition period. Provide training on new processes, tools, or skills required for the changed project approach. This helps ensure that everyone understands and adopts the changes effectively.

Adjust and adapt

If necessary, make further adjustments to the project based on the evaluation results. Be flexible and open to feedback and consider incorporating suggestions or lessons learned into the project’s ongoing implementation.

Source: Piilo Consulting