a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®)

The a2B Change Management Framework (a2BCMF) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state

The a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®) is a structured and disciplined approach to support organisations, leadership teams and individuals going through a change, the transition from the current ‘a’ state to the improved future ‘B’ state. The a2BCMF® has three phases and ten key process steps. Each phase provides change strategies, principles, analysis and tactics to move from one phase to the next.

The framework is based on over thirty years of international change experience and brings together leading practice in change, people and programme management. The structured programme approach, processes, techniques and tools focus on overcoming the failures of previous change by incorporating ten key steps and success elements for achieving organisational change. It supports strategic change implementation in terms of context, content and process. The framework is a comprehensive management model that allows executives, managers and change practitioners to successfully deliver and achieve organisational change. It requires a holistic approach and some steps can be performed simultaneously.

Main Benefits

The main benefits of using the a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®) are to deliver successful sustainable change and meet targets:

• On time delivery.
• Achieve benefits realisation.
• Keep within scope.
• Achieve change adoption.
• Achieve behavioural change.
• Improved business performance.

a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®) Phases

The a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®) has three key phases:

Plan: Setting the programme up for success by aligning it with the organisation’s strategic portfolio, ensuring there is a business case, leadership, sponsorship and resources, as well as a detailed plan for delivery that considers previous organisational change history.

Execute: Implementing the change by assessing if the organisation is ready for the change, constantly communicating the change, developing the new skills and behaviours, and managing resistance.

Sustain: Sustaining adoption and ensuring benefits realisation by linking them to the organisation’s balanced scorecard (BSC) and each employee’s individual performance plan (IPP). This phase also involves the controlled and approved governance closure, transfer of ownership of the programme to operations, as well as administrative tasks, such as capturing lessons learned.

a2B Change Management Framework® (a2BCMF®) Icons

The a2BCMF® has 10 key steps and success factors for achieving change:

a2BCMF® Step 1 - Change Definition: The process of defining the change and aligning the programmes within the portfolio to the organisation’s strategy, ensuring it has a business case and resources to deliver business benefits.

a2BCMF® Step 2 - Secure Sponsorship and Resources: The process of identifying the sponsor and other change resources who will support the change during implementation.

a2BCMF® Step 3 - Assess Previous Change: The process of assessing previous change for future change management success, this involves analysing the organisation’s change history to mitigate previous weaknesses and enhance future success.

a2BCMF® Step 4 - Develop Detailed Change Plan: The process of developing the Project Change Plan to document the actions, timelines, milestones and resources needed to deliver the programme. It should reference documents from a2BCMF® Step 1 and may also include other component plans. 

a2BCMF® Step 5 - Communicate the Change: The process of communicating the change simply and repeatedly with a feedback loop.

a2BCMF® Step 6 - Assess Readiness: The process of assessing the change readiness of the organisation and the employees prior to change implementation.

a2BCMF® Step 7 - Manage Resistance: The process of managing inevitable resistance which is the negative reaction by the organisation or individuals when they perceive that a change coming their way could be a threat to them.

a2BCMF® Step 8 - Develop New Skills and Behaviours: The process of developing the new skills and knowledge, ensuring all impacted employees have the ability to perform their new role and they can role model the few new critical behaviours.

a2BCMF® Step 9 - Adoption: The process of leaving the old ways behind and adopting the new way of working, confirming the employees have fully accepted the change, in mind and heart.

a2BCMF® Step 10 - Sustain and Close: The process of sustaining and closing the change after the organisation and employees have adopted the change. Sustain and close should involve official approval within programme governance, including administration.