Impact Analysis

Why

Change impacts individuals and groups differently. For some the change may be experienced to a high degree and for others it may only be felt on a minor level. Each individual or group within your organization is distinct and will have unique challenges requiring special strategies appropriate to that group.

When

The Impact Analysis is used by the Project Team to assess the change impact of the project. The Impact Analysis is one of the first steps in preparing for the change and occurs at an early stage in your project, typically after the Analysis Workshops. It contributes to the development of five plans within your Change Management Plan: communications plan, sponsorship roadmap, training plan, coaching plan and resistance management plan.

How

Conduct interviews with Sponsor, Core Project Team, Promoters (if not part of the Project Team), Activators (if not part of the Project Team). This can be done individually or in groups.

While conducting the Impact Analysis interviews you are making every effort to answer the following questions to assess the level of intervention that may be required to mitigate the impact of change to the organization:

• What type(s) of change will be felt by the different impacted groups and to what degree? – see list below
• What organizational obstacles exist for each group (i.e. prior experience with change, leadership challenges, etc.)?

The list below is meant as a guide to assist you in identifying the type of change for each group in your organization.

Change Types

Structure – examples

• Organizational structure and reporting relationships
• Approvals required to make day-to-day decisions

Process – examples

• Business procedures and policies
• Administrative procedures and policies

Systems – examples

• Standardized reporting templates
• Communications channels

Skills – examples

• Specialized skills required for specific job tasks
• Tools and job aids

Behaviour – examples

• Individual and Company norms, values, and beliefs
• Management/Supervisory style
• Attitudes
• Measures of success

Impact Plans

The Impact Analysis you conducted is the foundation for the development of the following plans:

• Sponsorship Roadmap
• Communications Plan
• Coaching Plan
• Resistance Management Plan
• Training Plan

Resources

Download the Impact Analysis Template

Continue to Sponsorship Roadmap

Return to Managing Change in the Change Management guide