Page 8 - EngineerIT June 2022

OPINION

Assimilating change management

and project management

By Mark James, head of training at The CRM Team.

Resistance is futile…
(A tribute to the “Trekkies” out there)
When the Enterprise first engages the Borg, Locutus says: “Resistance – is futile. Your
life, as it has been, is over… Strength is irrelevant. Resistance is futile. We wish to
improve ourselves. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our
own.”Captain Picard’s response? “I will resist you with my last ounce of strength.”
Every organisation has its own biological and technological distinctiveness. When we
are invited to make changes to this distinctiveness, be sure, we will encounter varying
degrees of resistance. It is therefore absolutely essential that we meticulously plan and
execute both the project and the people aspects of any systems implementation.
We could engage potential system users with an aggressive “Resistance is futile – you In a recent article entitled “Change
will be assimilated”, but in my experience, the human is an obstinate species and our Management and Project Management:
aggression will be met with a resounding “I will resist you with my last ounce of strength.” A Side-by-side Comparison” Tim Creasey
In my experience; we are doomed to lose that battle. There is a better way. – Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci
– states: “Each discipline brings the
Complementary Disciplines… critical structure needed for effectively
Project Management is focused on the technical aspects of systems implementation, implementing change and achieving the
while Change Management is focused on the People aspects. Project Management seeks results you want.”
to design, develop and deliver technology. “Yet, Change Management and
Change Management seeks to engage users to help them adopt and use this Project Management must work together
technology to the benefit of their clients, their organisation, their team and themselves. to achieve successful change. Doing
Success can only be achieved when we give enough attention to both. so creates a unified value proposition,
According to Prosci.com; “they each provide focus, processes and tools for moving which sets the foundation for tactical
through the transition toward the future state”. They go on to say: “The Unified Value integration and delivers value across all
Proposition of applying both Project Management and Change Management is actually aspects of the project, including both the
quite simple: delivering intended improvement through successfully implemented change people side and technical side.”
programs.” The bottom line is that there is
immense benefit in assimilating these
two disciplines. However; this is much
easier said than done. You will have to
plan your approach carefully and with
some degree of agility, knowing that each
project will present unique challenges
and rewards. Learn to adjust your course
on the fly, without losing focus of the
milestones and the desired outcomes.

Assimilation…
According to merriam-webster.com/
dictionary: “Assimilation refers to the
process through which individuals and
groups of differing heritages acquire the
basic habits, attitudes, and mode of life
of an embracing culture.”
Project Management is already
a universally accepted discipline
for introducing new systems in an

EngineerIT | June 2022 | 6