The underlying reason why change is needed needs to be stated so people can understand why the change is necessary.  

This may take the form of an opportunity – something which can be adopted and provide additional benefit to the organisation, or a problem – an issue which needs to be tackled and addressed.

A clear and understandable statement of why change is needed is key.  

For example:  The current University expense solution involves a high level of manual processing creating errors in processing, difficulties in audit control, and an extended time for people to receive money, creating stress and dissatisfaction in employees. 

In any organisation, evidence will be required to justify the need for change.  Evidence may take the form of performance reports, complaints, survey results, market intelligence, and many other internal and external information sources.

How much evidence to gather will differ depending on what change is being proposed.  

If it is a small change, one or two pieces of compelling evidence may be enough to convince others there is a reason to change.  

If it is a large and complex change, a substantive amount of evidence may be required to justify the likely investment required to affect a change.  

It is at this point where a project may be proposed to design and deliver the change, especially where a large or complex change is being considered. 

With any opportunity or problem, there are usually many different solutions which could provide a way forward. Different solutions should be investigated.

Leaders of change will build a team of the right people to generate ideas and suggest the solutions.

The picture of the future should begin to form to aide engagement and communication with others.

For small change, it is not recommended to spend a huge amount of time investigating the possibilities – this may eat into any proposed benefits very quickly. Instead, focusing on the most obvious and straightforward solutions is efficient and will protect future benefits.

If it is a large and complex change, a substantive amount of time may be required to ensure the proposed solutions would address the problem and justify the investment. Sometimes, there is a best practice or known industry solution which may be the obvious answer, but evidence would still be required to prove this to leadership.

The first thing to do is assess the potential solutions; this is sometimes referred to as an options appraisal.

The assessment criteria need to be agreed and connected with the original need for change. What must the solution have in order to achieve the right outcome? Each solution can then be considered against each criteria. This usually produces a preferred option which is then recommended.

For example: in determining a technical solution may have criteria which involves user experience, ongoing maintenance and license costs, and how much of the business requirements are being met.

It is not unusual in large strategic change for a recommended solution to be challenged by stakeholders before being accepted. In organisational design projects, a consultation where the solution is challenged can be legally mandated depending on the proposed organisational change.

• A Change Brief may be utilised to begin to document the statement. This can act as a Business Case for small change.

• Business Case – for large and complex change, a change brief will aide initial discussions but it is likely that a full business case will be required. This should state the required outcomes – the benefits – of the change.

• Stakeholder Log detailing who may be an ally in advocating for a change as well as who may not be supportive.

• Engagement & Communications Strategy and Approach to determine how best to engage people and bring them on board as you make the case for change.