Change Management vs. Project Management: Complementary Forces

Time to Read: 4 Min

Change Management vs. Project Management: Complementary Forces

As your organization delves deeper into the world of Change Management, you might notice some parallels with Project Management. While both disciplines involve oversight and guidance, they serve distinct purposes.

Project Management, in essence, is the art of orchestrating a series of steps required to achieve a specific project deliverable. It focuses on the actionable, task-oriented processes necessary to advance the project from inception to completion. Project Management typically involves five main stages:

1. Initiation: Defining the project's scope and objectives.

2. Planning: Creating a detailed project plan, including tasks, timelines, and resource allocation.

3. Execution: Carrying out the project plan and coordinating the efforts of team members.

4. Monitoring: Continuously tracking progress, managing risks, and making necessary adjustments.

5. Closing: Finalizing all project activities and ensuring the project meets its goals.

Project managers are akin to conductors, overseeing every team member's role and ensuring that each effort propels the project towards its final destination. Project Management is methodical, goal-driven, and focused on delivering competitive results and ensuring client satisfaction.

Change Management, on the other hand, centers on preparing the workforce to embrace the changes brought about by projects. It is primarily concerned with the human side of change. To make the distinction clearer, let's consider a real-life scenario:

Imagine your organization has decided to invest in a new ERP solution to streamline operations and accelerate time-to-market. In this scenario:

A Project Manager is responsible for logistical aspects, such as defining scope, securing executive buy-in, creating schedules, estimating costs, and communicating with key stakeholders. They are the navigators of the project's technical journey.

A Change Manager, however, is focused on how this new technology will impact the workforce. They ask critical questions related to business processes, potential role changes, organizational structures, employee sentiments, resistance mitigation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Their role is to ensure that employees are ready, willing, and able to adapt to the changes seamlessly.

Watch the video below of me explaining  the two roles and how they work together

In essence, Project Management and Change Management are complementary forces. Project Management drives the technical and operational aspects of a project, while Change Management ensures that the human element is well-prepared and motivated to embrace the changes.

As your organization learns more about the tenets of Change Management, it might start to sound a little like Project Management. While both efforts involve some degree of oversight and guidance, they are each unique. 

Project Management, in essence, is the art of orchestrating a series of steps required to achieve a specific project deliverable. It focuses on the actionable, task-oriented processes necessary to advance the project from inception to completion. Project Management typically involves five main stages:

1. Initiation: Defining the project's scope and objectives.

2. Planning: Creating a detailed project plan, including tasks, timelines, and resource allocation.

3. Execution: Carrying out the project plan and coordinating the efforts of team members.

4. Monitoring: Continuously tracking progress, managing risks, and making necessary adjustments.

5. Closing: Finalizing all project activities and ensuring the project meets its goals.

There are many individual tasks that must be completed at every part of this journey. Project managers are responsible for knowing what every team member is doing and how that effort propels the team and gets them closer to that final stage.

Imagine your organization has decided to invest in a new ERP solution to streamline operations and accelerate time-to-market. In this scenario: It’s an eye-on-the-prize, methodical sequence of events that must take place to stay competitive and ensure client satisfaction. 

• A Project Manager is responsible for logistical aspects, such as defining scope, securing executive buy-in, creating schedules, estimating costs, and communicating with key stakeholders. They are the navigators of the project's technical journey.

• A Change Manager, however, is focused on how this new technology will impact the workforce. They ask critical questions related to business processes, potential role changes, organizational structures, employee sentiments, resistance mitigation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Their role is to ensure that employees are ready, willing, and able to adapt to the changes seamlessly.

To highlight more on how Change Management is more centered on making sure the workforce is ready to embrace the changes that those projects bring, what a change manager does includes:

• How does this change our core business processes?

• Will there be any role changes?

• How will this affect organizational structures?

• How do employees feel about the change?

• How can we mitigate employee resistance?

• How can we build a continuous improvement culture?

In essence, Project Management and Change Management are complementary forces. Project Management drives the technical and operational aspects of a project, while Change Management ensures that the human element is well-prepared and motivated to embrace the changes.