The vital role of change management in maximizing the impact of IT solutions

In an era where IT systems, digital transformations, and agile thinking are rapidly emerging and being implemented as projects with tight deadlines, we often underestimate our capacity for personal change. Change is hard to accomplish. Why, you might ask? The truth is, people want change, but they don't want to change.

Allow me to provide a simple example. You decide to start a healthy lifestyle or begin exercising. What about that?

• One, you have made the decision yourself.
• Two, you understand the purpose, why you want this. You probably have a specific goal in mind.
• Three, you know what that means. You comprehend the implications of this decision and what it entails.
• Four, you know exactly how to do it. You have a clear understanding of the steps required to achieve success.

I know there are individuals who do succeed in this, but I also know the majority fails. How come? I am sure I do not have to give you the answer, you already understand why failure is common.

Let us consider our professional situation. There are many reasons why change is needed. Most commonly today, it is due to rapid worldwide technological innovation. Whatever the reason, when a solution that requires change is decided upon, we all expect it to happen. We expect people to understand by themselves, and we expect them to change. Change their way of thinking, behaving, and collaborating. It is also interesting that we expect everyone to understand the value of the entire change without explicitly telling them. Upon reflection, it is fascinating. What about this?

• One, the decision is not your own, but probably that of a top manager.
• Two, you do not know the purpose. Why are we doing this? What is the goal?
• Three, you do not know what it means. What is included in the decision?
• Four, you do not know how to do it or what is expected, or when you should start acting differently.

When focusing solely on the IT solution, all of this is ignored. The fact is that a new IT system or digital transformation affects people. And most people do not want to change. We all know this. We do not succeed even when we decide to change ourselves. Become healthier, more athletic, or whatever. It is a mystery how anyone can think it is easy to implement a new IT system and expect to get the full impact out of it. In most projects change is supposed to happen by magic. Without an enthusiastic and supportive top manager, without a clear person responsible for the change, and without change management. Are you surprised that research shows most change projects fail?