Adoption / change management plan [Mandatory]
New software projects often lead to new ways of working for users and key stakeholders. Change management is therefore important to ensure a high level of engagement of staff and other project stakeholders leading to greater adoption and success of new software projects. Key considerations for change management include:
- Involving users early on the project starting with the project concept phase. Users should be involved in defining needs and gaps that need to be addressed by the project and this should not be left to just the IT teams
- A change impact assessment should be carried out during the design phase of the project to assess what impact the project has to the key stakeholders and what they need to be able to adjust to the plan
- A communication plan should be developed based on the needs of each stakeholder to ensure they are regularly informed about the progress and what is required of them, and that there is a mechanism to get their feedback as the project progresses
- Involve key users in the testing and acceptance process for the project based on their respective roles and responsibilities
- A training plan should be developed for the different users to ensure they able to adjust smoothly to new software and new ways of working
- Ensure there is an effective support process post implementation to support users should they run into challenges when transitioning to the new project