10 “Userrific” Questions to Ask Yourself During an IT Change Management Process

We approach every IT change management process with its own unique method because every organization is different, but the guiding questions are the same.

Here are 10 core questions that we ask before each project. All of them are designed to help ensure that the process is “userrific” – by that we mean that the IT change management process focuses on the users and what it takes to support adoption for them.

In our experience, that’s by far the most relevant metric when it comes to understanding change management. As we’ve said before, people, not processes, are the true catalysts.

1. How do the people that will adopt this system do their work today, and why? Understanding why systems are the way they are can help you find the critical path to your end-goal. Taking such a benchmark can also help you predict and gauge project impact, as well as demonstrate its value down the line.
2. How does data coming into the system get there, and where does data from the system go? How do upstream and downstream users consume or provide the data? Mapping out the system not only helps users navigate it effectively. More importantly, it builds trust. Overcoming doubts is a common and challenging obstacle in IT rollouts and providing systems-level understanding is one way to address them.
3. Based on these answers, how big is the change going to be for the users of the systems and the data? What is the impact? To get your company on board for a change project, you first have to grasp its scope. Is it going to replace processes entirely or will it simply streamline them? The more users can prepare themselves for the learning curve, the less likely they are to become overwhelmed.
4. How does this change align to a key corporate strategy or goal? Why is this project important to the company, the functions, and finally, the people impacted? Asking these questions helps earn buy-in for the project from C-suite to the front-lines. Employees derive meaning from how their role fits into the broader scope of the business. As a result, goals that extend beyond the company’s bottom-line to address team, employee, customer and societal impact are always more engaging. 
5. Are there industry best practices that we can adopt to help support this change? Customizing projects to industry standards is essential to project success, and there’s nothing wrong with drawing on conventions — especially if they can make the process smoother.
6. What are some of the concerns that users have about this change? Understanding users’ fears, uncertainties and doubts can help you address the emotional and strategic obstacles to change. This is one of the most undervalued aspects of change management and can yield profound results.
7. How did the last change go for these users? What preconceived notions do they have? Understanding the context that your users are coming from can focus your efforts where they’ll be most effective. If the team has been through a challenging change project, they may need more support, while tech-savvy rapid adopters might appreciate and benefit from being more intimately involved in the development process.
8. How do our users like to learn? Video? Classroom? On the job? From peers? Company cultures and employee learning styles can vary wildly. Knowing what your people are responsive to can help you tailor your efforts in the most effective ways possible.
9. How can we integrate early user feedback into the development process (through prototyping, usability testing, focus groups, etc.)? Engaging users in the development process can help make rapid, iterative improvements from the get-go and foster an inclusive environment that gets users engaged and excited for the change.
10. What opportunities exist for us to communicate with stakeholders about this change? Internal communications are the easiest and most powerful way of earning buy-in from users. Whether it’s at meetings, via email, or through project management software, giving them plenty of opportunities to learn about and contribute to the project is beneficial for everyone. 

Are there more? We’d love to hear other questions you like to ask to ensure your people are front and center in the IT planning process.