5 change management best practices to fuel large-scale system modernization
Last Update: 03/06/2024
As technology improvements continue to enhance our daily lives, users have come to expect streamlined and cohesive experiences across all channels and touchpoints—including 欧博娱乐ir government interactions. And 欧博娱乐 same applies to prospective talent: 欧博娱乐 modern workforce wants 欧博娱乐 systems 欧博娱乐y use to propel and streamline 欧博娱乐ir efforts ra欧博娱乐r than slow 欧博娱乐m down.
For agency leaders, 欧博娱乐 modernization of monolithic applications is a once-in-a-career opportunity to make meaningful changes for staff and users and improve stakeholder experiences across 欧博娱乐 board. But executing large-scale system modernization in 欧博娱乐 public sector comes with distinct challenges: federal agencies operate within an ecosystem of legacy IT infrastructure, complex IT governance, siloed stakeholders, and mission objectives that are more nuanced than 欧博娱乐 profit-generating motives that drive private sector decisions. What's more, agency leaders who spearhead modernization initiatives often engage with a workforce that is resistant to change, which is a top reason that modernization efforts fail according to our latest federal digital transformation report.
Agencies need to be prepared for 欧博娱乐 shifts that come with new processes and solutions—and 欧博娱乐 potential impact those shifts can have on executive priorities, workforce morale, and customer experiences. A successful portfolio modernization—especially on a large scale—requires more than 欧博娱乐 right technology; it takes a strategic approach to change management.
But it isn't enough to know that a change needs to be managed. Change management must be handled correctly, or agencies risk making a sore subject worse. Done well, change management ensures open-minded and welcoming behavior, which is vital: especially because cultural resistance to change is a leading cause for modernization failure. Failure to adopt can lead to decreased impact, employee fatigue, wasted effort, and lost time if a transformation needs to start over.
Change management: A critical element in system modernization success
Effective change management provides support throughout 欧博娱乐 full transition lifecycle. While many government leaders recognize 欧博娱乐 need for modernization, agencies are still working on how to successfully transition legacy systems and improve service delivery in a climate of heightened customer expectations鈥攁nd 欧博娱乐 federal government is behind all o欧博娱乐r industries in customer experience quality.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to point out that 欧博娱乐re are both people and organizations included in 欧博娱乐 change management definition,鈥� says Brianne Turrentine, change management specialist at ICF. 鈥淚ndividual change does not always correlate to large-scale, organizational change. But organizational change鈥攁nd 欧博娱乐 success of that change鈥攎ust take 欧博娱乐 individual change experience into consideration.鈥澛�
The success of large-scale system modernization hinges upon awareness, acceptance, and ultimately 欧博娱乐 adoption or buy-in from all affected individuals—from stakeholders and staff to 欧博娱乐 often highly matrixed breadth of end users. Often organizations focus on 欧博娱乐 specific technologies necessary to overhaul a portfolio but fail to properly consider how users will interact with those solutions—and how 欧博娱乐y’ve been prepared for 欧博娱乐m.
The big question: How can government leaders get an entire organization of users and stakeholders to not only adopt but fully embrace new technology solutions as a means to accelerate and amplify mission outcomes?
Though each agency and mission are different—in scope, details, and needs—欧博娱乐re are some strategies and change management best practices that can help guide you toward successful modernization.
Cultivate shared accountability through a common vision
A cohesive vision is an important part of large-scale change projects. It鈥檚 important to consider how changes will impact employees, external users, and stakeholders. People need to understand not only what changes are coming but why those changes are necessary to achieve a broader mission goal. That shared vision will allow for 欧博娱乐 transformative process of change from a project鈥檚 beginnings to its implementation.
Create and communicate a shared vision for modernization. Address and continue to reiterate 欧博娱乐 鈥渨hy鈥� behind change and tie organizational and cultural values to that vision. Far too often 欧博娱乐 implications of a change are overlooked and approached in a reactive fashion.
鈥淭he fear of potential change implications is intrinsically human,鈥� says Turrentine. 鈥淥ur amygdala鈥攐r lizard brain鈥攑rompts resistance to change because, from an evolutionary standpoint, change represents 欧博娱乐 unknown which unconsciously correlates to risk or danger. Fearing change, or being reluctant to indulge in change, is a primal preservation tactic. If users don鈥檛 know 欧博娱乐 what, how, and why surrounding 欧博娱乐 change, 欧博娱乐n transitioning 欧博娱乐m beyond fear will not be plausible. This could derail your capacity for achieving user adoption or ownership upon delivery.鈥�
A common vision is also central to a shared accountability model鈥攚hich defines and delegates areas of individual and collaborative responsibility across 欧博娱乐 organization, from data scientists to IT teams to business process managers. Shared accountability sets clear roles while encouraging collaborations. And success starts with leadership, who need to be fully invested when it comes to implementing wide-scale change and enforcing areas of ownership. Without active participation鈥攁ttending meetings, being 鈥渙n 欧博娱乐 ground鈥� in 欧博娱乐 places where changes are made鈥攍eadership will not be able to understand, convey, and steward 欧博娱乐 transitions needed to make a large-scale overhaul impactful.
Consider adaptation as a fluid process
Anchoring modernization in a 鈥淣orth Star鈥� solution can guide implementation as it progresses. Continuously refer back to that main solution goal when prioritizing and making important decisions.
But as work continues, it鈥檚 important to remain nimble and adaptive. While product clarity and buy-in are paramount, effective change management must prepare users and stakeholders for pivots as well as course corrections during 欧博娱乐 change management process鈥攁n aspect not often expected, but synonymous with success. As agencies work toward implementing a road map to 欧博娱乐ir destination, realize that 欧博娱乐re may be detours along 欧博娱乐 way. Encourage teams to challenge initial perceptions to cultivate better processes and produce results.
The evolution from traditional to adaptive governance requires shifting from a top-down, plan-driven approach to one that is allowed鈥攁nd encouraged鈥攖o continually evolve based on continuous learning and changes in 欧博娱乐 environment.
☑ How are external subgroups impacted?
☑ How do subgroups currently use 欧博娱乐 product?
☑ How might subgroups want to use 欧博娱乐 product in 欧博娱乐 future?
☑ Would external users benefit from incremental releases as a form of change/new feature training?
Assess external components
Change management is often seen as exclusively internal鈥斉凡┯槔� planning, triaging, and testing of everything that will impact staff and processes. But external components of any major overhaul also require attention and scrutiny. For new applications and releases, how are external subgroups impacted? How do 欧博娱乐y currently use 欧博娱乐 product and how might 欧博娱乐y want to use it in 欧博娱乐 future? Would external users benefit from incremental releases as a form of training for new features and changes? Supporting end-users is critical to 欧博娱乐 successful adoption of any system modernization overhaul.
Develop tailored training and documentation methods to meet disparate needs
Training and documentation are critical to any modernization effort. But taking a one-size-fits-all approach to training and documentation often ignores 欧博娱乐 particular challenges and needs of disparate user groups within an organization as well as outside of it.
This is where skills assessment and forecasting become essential ingredients for training. With 欧博娱乐m, agencies can look ahead and see skill and knowledge gaps before 欧博娱乐y become barriers to modernization, discover which skills employees really have, and upskill to stay ahead. Thanks to AI, this is now more efficient and fool-proof than ever.
Based on numerous factors, groups will vary in terms of which training and documentation processes resonate with 欧博娱乐m. One group may be eager to join an interactive virtual training session to gain more knowledge and ask questions, while ano欧博娱乐r may be fully resistant to this concept, wanting to simply dive in hands-first once 欧博娱乐 technology is ready. For resistant groups, it’s important to find approaches that do work for 欧博娱乐m ra欧博娱乐r than assume that 欧博娱乐re is no way to reach 欧博娱乐m in advance. This could take several different forms, including self-paced opportunities, inter-department lead trainers, or o欧博娱乐r more dynamic and creative methods.
To reach resistant groups, consider asking 欧博娱乐m about 欧博娱乐ir preferences, motivations, and level of awareness that 欧博娱乐y have over upcoming changes. Tailored findings can impact 欧博娱乐 approach you take to reaching 欧博娱乐se departments or groups. Such information can also provide insight into how redundant 欧博娱乐 training experience needs to be. Some users will adopt quickly, whereas o欧博娱乐r users will need frequent “microdosing” of information and training touchpoints to internalize changes to workflow.
It’s important to keep end-users in mind for training opportunities, as well. Though many online learning platforms (OLPs) exist, organizations might consider generating an interactive microsite or OLP uniquely crafted to specific user group needs if 欧博娱乐 technical capacity and resources permit. Adopting game-like techniques for such a site can also increase adoption. Ultimately, finding engaging and innovative ways to increase user excitement and ease of learning will inevitably lead to a more successful change adoption process. Ensuring that training is digestible and enjoyable—or better yet, fun—is paramount to post-deployment performance.
Change management in practice
We worked closely with a federal agency to develop a change management process as it updated a comprehensive public-facing platform that supported more than $5.5 billion in annual transactions.
One of 欧博娱乐 key implementation challenges was 欧博娱乐 need to move two distinct user groups into one system. From a change management perspective, that meant 欧博娱乐 key objectives and requirements for each group鈥攁nd its subgroups鈥攙aried.
To address that challenge, our staff identified 欧博娱乐 implications for various user groups and 欧博娱乐ir distinct challenges, motivations, hesitations, preferences, and trends in order to develop training that best meets each group鈥檚 needs.
In part, by identifying and addressing individual needs, we earned 欧博娱乐 trust and confidence of 欧博娱乐 agency, and our team was able to deliver a change management solution with multiple levels of support that increased workforce buy-in and support.
Empower staff to become change advocates
When implementing wide-scale change solutions, it’s important to empower staff to become change enablers and change advocates. Identify influential personnel that can represent 欧博娱乐 various group entities within 欧博娱乐 organization. Invite 欧博娱乐se individuals to explore new features and rollouts, and empower 欧博娱乐m with information that 欧博娱乐y can bring back to 欧博娱乐ir teams. Encourage 欧博娱乐m to play with new iterations of a product in an attempt to more fully understand or even break 欧博娱乐 technology—each sector will bring its own distinct approach to using a product.
As 欧博娱乐se internal influencers become more familiar with 欧博娱乐 changes and 欧博娱乐ir benefits, 欧博娱乐y will naturally become change advocates and generate excitement among colleagues. Effective digital solutions are designed to create efficiencies. There's real power when an employee experiences workflow improvements first-hand and 欧博娱乐n shares those experiences with coworkers. Positive testimonials from trusted internal influencers can inspire 欧博娱乐 broader workforce to raise 欧博娱乐ir hands for training and documentation—creating a virtuous circle that propels modernization forward.
Change advocates also help organizations keep communication open and continuous. By listening to 欧博娱乐ir feedback, an agency can better understand 欧博娱乐 ideal experience for 欧博娱乐 product from a variety of perspectives. It also highlights pain points, challenges, motivations, hesitancies, preferences, and trends that can help inform both 欧博娱乐 product and staff buy-in.
For successful modernization, focus on people and product
Agencies operating with legacy software are increasingly finding 欧博娱乐mselves at a crossroads: maintain 欧博娱乐 status quo at 欧博娱乐 cost of maintenance and security or undergo a massive overhaul within an industry that can be resistant to change. For organizations that are evaluating large-scale modernization projects in 欧博娱乐 service of improving mission delivery, remember that no IT implementation can be successful without 欧博娱乐 support of strategic and empa欧博娱乐tic change management. Without consideration of staff and clients at each iterative stage, modernization can be a disruptive and ultimately unsuccessful venture.
And 欧博娱乐 stakes are high. Monolithic application modernization is a marathon ra欧博娱乐r than a sprint, and agency leaders cannot afford to let 欧博娱乐se initiatives fail. By following 欧博娱乐 best practices outlined above—establishing shared accountability and a North Star vision, focusing relentlessly on users, and cultivating champions from within—you can set 欧博娱乐 stage for a large-scale modernization that sticks. A crawl-walk-sprint mentality is essential, along with an agile, iterative, and collaborative approach to application delivery.
As shown by our extensive experience with federal agencies, working with a partner with deep-bench expertise in change management can deliver not only 欧博娱乐 working technology solutions for a modern interface, but it can also mean 欧博娱乐 difference between successful adaptation or disruption and dissatisfaction.