JASON SIMONS: Change management all about the people

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Change management in information technology is all about people.

Technically, we assume that IT change is about IT, but it is really about change management for those affected within the organisation - what they do and how they do it.

There are four main ways of introducing IT change - incremental change; step change; a phased approach and a big bang approach. All of these different approaches need their own change management approach.

Incremental change is, perhaps, the easiest to introduce. The changes are small and part of a larger work plan. The downside to this approach is that change can be slow.

Step change is a marked and identifiable change - that is, a significant change that can easily be seen. As of this date, your old familiar software will now be a different software.

A phased approach is where change occurs in obvious and fairly large stages. It could be a change that is introduced department by department, allowing for some tweaking as the process unfolds, and for mistakes or gaps to be corrected as the process goes along.

The big bang approach achieves fast change but carries inherent risk. Staff may not be completely on board, unanticipated glitches may occur and more training may need to be done (and done again).

Change management in IT is all about people, and needs to take into account the organisation, its culture, what you are changing and how you are changing it.

-Wanganui District Council information technology manager Jason Simons has worked around the world delivering IT solutions, including providing encrypted systems for governments, banks and corporates. Follow his blog at jasonsimons.nz