1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,960 In this lesson, 2 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,060 we'll discuss change management. 3 00:00:03,060 --> 00:00:04,860 Now in our modern business environments, 4 00:00:04,860 --> 00:00:08,070 we cannot help but to encounter changes in our daily work. 5 00:00:08,070 --> 00:00:10,410 Whether it's introducing new software into our systems 6 00:00:10,410 --> 00:00:12,330 or implementing a new organizational structure 7 00:00:12,330 --> 00:00:13,920 across your corporate network, 8 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,350 change is both inescapable and a necessity 9 00:00:16,350 --> 00:00:18,570 for your organization to be able to continually adapt 10 00:00:18,570 --> 00:00:21,390 to our ever changing needs inside of our businesses. 11 00:00:21,390 --> 00:00:24,030 But implementing these changes requires precision, 12 00:00:24,030 --> 00:00:25,770 planning, and a structured approach 13 00:00:25,770 --> 00:00:27,000 to avoid creating outages 14 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,880 and other significant issues for your end users. 15 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,560 Now to help control these changes, 16 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,010 we often rely on change management policies and procedures. 17 00:00:35,010 --> 00:00:37,290 Change management is the orchestrated strategy 18 00:00:37,290 --> 00:00:39,120 to transition teams, departments, 19 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,820 or entire organizations from their existing state 20 00:00:41,820 --> 00:00:43,980 to a more desirable future state. 21 00:00:43,980 --> 00:00:46,560 Now, this is pivotal in our organization's operations 22 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:47,910 because we need to ensure changes 23 00:00:47,910 --> 00:00:50,820 are properly controlled and implemented using a plan, 24 00:00:50,820 --> 00:00:53,280 otherwise, chaos will occur. 25 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,860 Now, if a change is not properly planned and coordinated, 26 00:00:55,860 --> 00:00:57,210 your employees could resist 27 00:00:57,210 --> 00:00:59,130 or even fear that given change. 28 00:00:59,130 --> 00:01:01,680 For example, if you're going to migrate your entire workforce 29 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,540 from an older version of Microsoft Office 30 00:01:03,540 --> 00:01:04,680 to a newer version, 31 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,300 this may not seem like such a big deal 32 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:08,940 if you have a very technologically literate workforce. 33 00:01:08,940 --> 00:01:11,040 But I could tell you from personal experience 34 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:12,690 that even moving from something as simple 35 00:01:12,690 --> 00:01:15,240 as going from one legacy version of Microsoft Office 36 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,820 to something like Microsoft Office 365, 37 00:01:17,820 --> 00:01:19,590 can really create a lot of confusion 38 00:01:19,590 --> 00:01:21,840 for your less technologically savvy users, 39 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:23,760 and this will generate an enormous amount of calls 40 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:25,620 to your support desk if you don't have 41 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:26,730 a solid plan in place 42 00:01:26,730 --> 00:01:29,010 to train all of your users before, during, 43 00:01:29,010 --> 00:01:31,650 and after that change is being implemented. 44 00:01:31,650 --> 00:01:33,510 Now, really at the core of this issue 45 00:01:33,510 --> 00:01:35,190 is that our existing processes 46 00:01:35,190 --> 00:01:37,560 will become disrupted by any kind of change, 47 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,960 and these processes are the things that ensure our company 48 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:42,510 is functioning efficiently and effectively. 49 00:01:42,510 --> 00:01:44,430 But by implementing change management, 50 00:01:44,430 --> 00:01:46,380 we can ensure that regardless of how large 51 00:01:46,380 --> 00:01:47,400 or small the adjustment 52 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,680 that's being introduced into your organization is, 53 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,720 that it actually will be become seamlessly integrated 54 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,210 into your existing architecture and processes 55 00:01:54,210 --> 00:01:56,310 so that we can maximize the positive outcomes 56 00:01:56,310 --> 00:01:57,600 that we're seeking to achieve 57 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,210 while minimizing any potential disruption. 58 00:02:00,210 --> 00:02:01,740 Now, for a change to occur, 59 00:02:01,740 --> 00:02:03,750 that change must first be approved. 60 00:02:03,750 --> 00:02:04,950 Each organization will create 61 00:02:04,950 --> 00:02:06,690 its own processes and procedures 62 00:02:06,690 --> 00:02:08,039 for the approval of changes 63 00:02:08,039 --> 00:02:09,960 inside of your change management process, 64 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,100 but it is important to remember 65 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:13,710 that you can't simply decide to install a piece of software 66 00:02:13,710 --> 00:02:16,260 or change a given configuration on a system 67 00:02:16,260 --> 00:02:19,380 without going through an appropriate approval process. 68 00:02:19,380 --> 00:02:21,540 Additionally, before that change gets approved, 69 00:02:21,540 --> 00:02:23,640 it needs to undergo an assessment process 70 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:24,630 to determine if the change 71 00:02:24,630 --> 00:02:26,250 will add value to the organization 72 00:02:26,250 --> 00:02:28,140 or if it can be implemented successfully 73 00:02:28,140 --> 00:02:29,280 with minimal disruptions 74 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,500 to your business' current operations. 75 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:33,540 So, who is able to approve a change 76 00:02:33,540 --> 00:02:35,370 within a given organization? 77 00:02:35,370 --> 00:02:38,880 Well, usually this function will be performed by the CAB 78 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,040 which is the Change Advisory Board. 79 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,440 Now, your change advisory board or CAB, 80 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:44,760 also known as the CAB, 81 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,410 it's going to be a body of representatives 82 00:02:46,410 --> 00:02:48,330 from various parts of your organization 83 00:02:48,330 --> 00:02:50,280 that all play a crucial role in evaluating 84 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,980 the ramifications of any proposed changes. 85 00:02:52,980 --> 00:02:54,390 Now, this change advisory board 86 00:02:54,390 --> 00:02:56,700 is really focused on conducting the due diligence 87 00:02:56,700 --> 00:02:58,860 on a proposed change before it's approved 88 00:02:58,860 --> 00:03:00,930 and scheduled for implementation. 89 00:03:00,930 --> 00:03:02,880 The change advisory board is responsible 90 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,010 for assessing the viability of the change, 91 00:03:05,010 --> 00:03:07,470 its potential impacts, and whether or not it aligns 92 00:03:07,470 --> 00:03:09,840 with the organization's broad objectives. 93 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,140 Now, every proposed change should have a change owner. 94 00:03:13,140 --> 00:03:14,880 The change owner is an individual, 95 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,620 or sometimes a team of people, 96 00:03:16,620 --> 00:03:17,520 that's going to be responsible 97 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:19,830 for the initiation of the change request. 98 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:22,410 This owner is going to be the advocate for the change 99 00:03:22,410 --> 00:03:23,760 and they're going to be the ones who detail 100 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,860 the reasons why that change is necessary, 101 00:03:25,860 --> 00:03:27,030 its potential benefits, 102 00:03:27,030 --> 00:03:29,310 and the challenges that that change might present 103 00:03:29,310 --> 00:03:31,050 during its implementation. 104 00:03:31,050 --> 00:03:33,750 Now, these changes will not happen in isolation. 105 00:03:33,750 --> 00:03:36,330 After all, we're going to be making a configuration change, 106 00:03:36,330 --> 00:03:37,590 installing a new piece of hardware, 107 00:03:37,590 --> 00:03:38,850 or running some kind of software 108 00:03:38,850 --> 00:03:40,350 on our organization systems. 109 00:03:40,350 --> 00:03:42,210 And all of these actions will have an impact, 110 00:03:42,210 --> 00:03:43,380 not just on the server 111 00:03:43,380 --> 00:03:45,060 or workstation that's being configured, 112 00:03:45,060 --> 00:03:48,120 but also all across your entire enterprise network. 113 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,490 Now, each change will affect or are affected 114 00:03:50,490 --> 00:03:54,060 by a myriad of other factors within your organization. 115 00:03:54,060 --> 00:03:56,460 So, to help understand the impact and effect 116 00:03:56,460 --> 00:03:58,800 that change is going to have on your business operations, 117 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:00,000 it's really important that you know 118 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,100 who the crucial stakeholders are. 119 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:03,720 Now, a stakeholder is any person 120 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,210 who has a vested interest in the proposed change. 121 00:04:06,210 --> 00:04:07,980 The stakeholder may have a vested interest 122 00:04:07,980 --> 00:04:10,470 because they're directly impacted by the proposed change 123 00:04:10,470 --> 00:04:11,790 or because they have a role 124 00:04:11,790 --> 00:04:13,980 in its assessment or implementation. 125 00:04:13,980 --> 00:04:16,440 These individuals or teams must be consulted 126 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:17,820 and their feedback considered 127 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:19,890 as well as their concerns getting addressed 128 00:04:19,890 --> 00:04:21,810 before you implement a change. 129 00:04:21,810 --> 00:04:24,450 For example, if I want to perform a software update 130 00:04:24,450 --> 00:04:27,120 on our practice exam engine DionTraining.com, 131 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,160 technically, there is nothing that's going to stop me 132 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,560 from pushing out that update to the code right now 133 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:32,610 as I'm talking to you 134 00:04:32,610 --> 00:04:34,830 without asking anybody else's permission. 135 00:04:34,830 --> 00:04:36,990 But that's probably not a good idea 136 00:04:36,990 --> 00:04:38,250 because there are a lot of stakeholders 137 00:04:38,250 --> 00:04:41,070 that will be affected by me implementing that change. 138 00:04:41,070 --> 00:04:42,330 Let's pretend that when I push out 139 00:04:42,330 --> 00:04:43,860 the software update to my server, 140 00:04:43,860 --> 00:04:45,900 it's going to require us to reboot that server 141 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:48,420 which will have that change to be able to take effect. 142 00:04:48,420 --> 00:04:51,600 But that reboot may take about five minutes to occur, 143 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,060 and that means that none of our students around the world 144 00:04:54,060 --> 00:04:55,590 will be able to take a practice exam 145 00:04:55,590 --> 00:04:57,420 during that five minutes of downtime 146 00:04:57,420 --> 00:04:59,400 while that server's being rebooted. 147 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,200 Similarly, if I push out a new feature 148 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,250 as part of that update, 149 00:05:02,250 --> 00:05:03,900 we need to actually train our end users, 150 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:05,670 which in this case would be our students, 151 00:05:05,670 --> 00:05:07,800 on how to use those new features. 152 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:09,600 Similarly, we're also going to need to consult 153 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:10,950 with our student support team to ensure 154 00:05:10,950 --> 00:05:13,080 that they know how to answer any potential questions 155 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,570 that might arise because of this software update, 156 00:05:15,570 --> 00:05:18,000 and we may need to send out a message ahead of time 157 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:19,320 to warn all of our students 158 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:20,670 that our system is going to be updated 159 00:05:20,670 --> 00:05:22,140 on a certain day and time, 160 00:05:22,140 --> 00:05:23,820 and that there's going to be a potential downtime 161 00:05:23,820 --> 00:05:26,280 of up to five minutes during that window. 162 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:28,650 As you can see, there are going to be technical stakeholders 163 00:05:28,650 --> 00:05:31,590 like the developers who run the servers and write the code. 164 00:05:31,590 --> 00:05:33,030 There's also going to be business stakeholder 165 00:05:33,030 --> 00:05:34,380 like our student support team. 166 00:05:34,380 --> 00:05:36,360 And we also have end user based stakeholders 167 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,160 like our students in this example. 168 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,960 And all of these need to be either consulted 169 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,360 or informed of this upcoming software change 170 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,960 to our practice exam engine before we make that change. 171 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,240 Now, an integral part of the change management process 172 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,250 is the impact analysis. 173 00:05:50,250 --> 00:05:52,410 Before setting all the wheels of change in motion 174 00:05:52,410 --> 00:05:53,730 on any proposed change, 175 00:05:53,730 --> 00:05:56,460 you really do need to understand the potential fallout. 176 00:05:56,460 --> 00:05:58,590 You need to ask yourself: What could go wrong? 177 00:05:58,590 --> 00:05:59,610 And if that happen, 178 00:05:59,610 --> 00:06:02,010 what would be the immediate effects to our organization, 179 00:06:02,010 --> 00:06:05,190 its business processes, its reputation, and its users? 180 00:06:05,190 --> 00:06:07,650 How will our long-term operations be impacted? 181 00:06:07,650 --> 00:06:09,780 Are there any unforeseen challenges lurking in the shadows 182 00:06:09,780 --> 00:06:11,640 that might cause an issue for us? 183 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:12,990 All of these are things that we're going to do 184 00:06:12,990 --> 00:06:14,580 during our impact analysis, 185 00:06:14,580 --> 00:06:16,560 and by conducting that impact analysis, 186 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,360 we're going to try to answer all these questions 187 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,280 so our organization is not just prepared 188 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:21,510 for the proposed change, 189 00:06:21,510 --> 00:06:24,090 but also they're poised to be able to maximize the benefits 190 00:06:24,090 --> 00:06:25,650 of that given change. 191 00:06:25,650 --> 00:06:27,090 So remember, change management 192 00:06:27,090 --> 00:06:28,950 is not merely a corporate buzzword, 193 00:06:28,950 --> 00:06:30,480 but it really is a critical process 194 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,120 that can help guide you and your organization safely 195 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,190 through any potential changes or transformations 196 00:06:35,190 --> 00:06:36,900 that you need for your business. 197 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:39,240 While all of our organizations want to improve themself 198 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,820 and progress over time, it is the implementation 199 00:06:41,820 --> 00:06:43,860 of structured changes through the proper assessment 200 00:06:43,860 --> 00:06:45,990 and collaborative decision making process 201 00:06:45,990 --> 00:06:47,880 that's led by your change advisory board 202 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:48,990 that really is at the center 203 00:06:48,990 --> 00:06:50,940 of every change that we're going to try to implement 204 00:06:50,940 --> 00:06:52,500 in our organizations. 205 00:06:52,500 --> 00:06:53,790 Through the diligent application 206 00:06:53,790 --> 00:06:55,500 of these change management principles, 207 00:06:55,500 --> 00:06:58,380 organizations can not only adapt but thrive. 208 00:06:58,380 --> 00:07:00,750 And all the while, they'll be able to turn challenges 209 00:07:00,750 --> 00:07:02,460 into opportunities and uncertainties 210 00:07:02,460 --> 00:07:03,720 surrounding your proposed change 211 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,553 into a defined pathway forward.