You have been asked to implement a project management initiative at your work. How would you go about implementing this using change management techniques?

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), “a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product, service or result”.

Organizations perform work; work generally involves operations or projects, although the two may overlap. Operations and projects share many characteristics; for example, they are performed by people, and planned, executed, and controlled. They differ primarily in that operations are ongoing and repetitive while projects are temporary and unique. (Samset, 2003).

Examples of projects include;

1. Implementation of a new safety procedure in an emergency ward or psychiatric facility.
2. Adding a cancer care center to a hospital block.
3. Implementation of a comprehensive workflow assessment to improve departmental efficiency.

Project Management is defined as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements”. (The Project Management Institute, n.d.)

Project Management processes (which includes change management) falls into five process groups namely; 

1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Control.
5. Closing

A manager must keep an eye on these project elements; Scope – this represents the boundaries of a project. It defines the types of benefits or deliverables being sought, as well as those that are not. (Langabeer and Helton, 2016). Budget – this is a detailed estimate of what is required or needed to complete a project. Schedule – this is the approved timelines for each task and for the project.

Project Management in the Healthcare Industry:

The healthcare industry faces many of the same challenges as other industries, with some very particular stress points. Efficient processes are vital, not just to decrease costs to gain a competitive edge, but to offer the highest quality care. They also face much more scrutiny from various stakeholders, such as government regulators, private agencies, health insurance companies and patients. These demands mean, that healthcare organizations need to try to run more efficiently to be able to manage. (Tran, 2016).

Healthcare projects are unique, the success or failure of healthcare projects can mean the difference between life and death. Which is why applying project management to healthcare processes and structures is so important, because it enables hospitals to run more efficiently and as a direct result offer more affordable and higher quality care to patients also ensures safety in the hospital. (Tran)

Change Management is the process, tools, and techniques used to manage the people side of change to achieve the desired business outcome. In other words, because projects may cause disruption, effect changes in processes, job roles and so on, change management is required during and after the management of projects to ease people into the effected changes. because According to Langabeer & Helton citing Landy, "Well-documented psychological research supports the idea that most people dislike change or rather, dislike the uncertainty that accompanies change" (1989). Hence leading people through change is a core function of the manager. Each initiative or project you undertake requires some level of project management and change management. These two tools are used to support the implementation of a variety of changes that you may be undertaking.

They are tools that need to be applied independent of the actual change that you are undertaking. Anytime you alter processes, systems, organization structures or job roles, you need a structured approach to manage both the technical side and the people side of the pending change.

According to Tim Creasy, employees generally fall into 3 groups when faced with change. And depending on the organization size and type of change (simple or complex), the distribution of these employee categories will vary. The categories are;

Group 1.     Early Adopters – these are the least resistant to change.

Group 2.     Uncertain and Hesitant – for these, their choice to or not to support the change will be determined by how effectively the change is managed.

Group 3.     Most resistant.

As a manager, I am to implement a Project Management Initiative at my work place using Change Management techniques,  I would ensure that;

The business case for the project is simple enough and is broadcast throughout the organization to all stakeholders. This will ensure what is referred to as a buy-in; especially by Group1. A buy-in is important as it ensures positive engagement and participation of all stakeholders showing them, what is in it for them as the “cooperation and collaboration of all key stakeholders are required” (Langabeer and Helton).

Also I will enlist “key” stakeholders – the ones with the highest interest in the outcome of the project or change being affected and those with high influence in the organization. These can help carry on the conversation about the change’s benefits – what the organization will gain and what individual will enjoy. They will also allay fears that may exist (mostly with the highly resistant employees).

Our quick wins are tackled first and immediately broadcast. This is to persuade the uncertain and hesitant employees to quickly see the benefits the change will bring. I will even go further to give credit to others for their contributions and successes publicly. This, I believe will create a buzz and positive energy around the organization regarding the initiative.

The formula for overcoming change is Y=f(m.p.a.r), "where Y=successful change management,  m=    management and leadership skills, p=an operational plan with a vision and strategy, a=alignment of incentives with those who are sponsoring the project and those who are working on and for the project & r=adequate resources . Without all four components of this equation, change management cannot be successful." (Langabeer & Helton)

In conclusion, I believe the best ways to ensure success during and after change in an initiative is to attain cooperation and collaboration, document and obtain approval for all changes to the plan, project scope and resource commitments. Communication and participation are essential; especially for those affected by the change, approaching and explaining the change in small paces while understanding the root cause of the resistance to change is key, but also in communicating to stakeholders I will strive to sell the big picture to give them wholesome grasp of what it means for the organization.

Most people don’t mind change once it is clear to them the benefits of the change, so I will say continuous communication is important from the initiating phase of the project or change through to the end.

Reference 

Creasy, T., (n.d.). 3 Types Of Change-Resistant Employees And How To Engage Them Retrieved from http://blog.prosci.com/3-types-of-change-resistant-employees-and-how-to-engage-them

Crowe, A. (2018). 5 Ways to Lead a Change Management Initiative: Project Manager As Change Manager. Retrieved fromhttps://www.liquidplanner.com/blog/project-manager-as-change-manager-5-ways-to-lead-a-change-management-initiative/

Langabeer J. R. II, & Helton, J., (2016). Healthcare Operations Management, A Systems Perspective. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2. Chapter 8.

Maltzman, R. & Shirley, D., (20 ). Is Healthcare Project Management Different. Retrieved from https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/3282/Healthcare-Project-Management

Samset, K., (2003). Project Evaluation: Making Investments Succeed. Retrieved from https://www.ntnu.no/documents/1261860271/1262022437/058_2004_samset_what_is_a_project.pdf

Tran, L. (2016 November 4th). 5 Project Management Lessons for the Healthcare Industry. Retrieved from https://www.inloox.com/company/blog/articles/5-project-management-lessons-for-the-healthcare-industry/

Bisk. (n.d.). Project Management Process Groups. Retrieved fromhttps://www.villanovau.com/resources/project-management/pmbok-project-management-process-groups/#.WtlG-IjwbIU

“Project Management. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/677/project-manager-pm

“The Background Of Our Change Management Definition”. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.prosci.com/change-management/thought-leadership-library/change-management-definition