Business Change Governance

Change Governance operates similarly to other projects, programmes and business governance groups.

Change Governance ensures the transformation initiatives are delivered to the agreed scope to achieve the defined benefits. The Governance Group comprises of representatives from affecting project teams and impacted middle and senior management owners, usually meeting bi-weekly or monthly to review progress against each transformation milestone.

It’s not uncommon for the Change Governance meetings to take place together with the technical or business projects governance as they often share the same or similar Governance Group members. However, if they are combined, the Change Governance Group must remain focused on its agenda to ensure the success of the inflight and planned Change Initiatives. 

Business Change Governance as a Whole

Business change governance is a critical component of change management. It refers to the processes and structures that are put in place to manage and govern changes to the organisation's business processes, systems, and structures.

Effective business change governance ensures that changes are made in a controlled and structured way, with appropriate approvals, oversight, and communication. It also ensures that the changes are aligned with the organisation's overall strategy and goals, and that they are implemented in a way that minimises disruption to the business.

Key elements of effective business change governance in change management include:

1. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities.  Everyone involved in the change process should understand their roles and responsibilities, including decision-making authority, communication responsibilities, and accountability.
   
   
2. A formal change management process.  There should be a structured process for initiating, assessing, approving, implementing, and monitoring changes. This process should be clearly documented and communicated to all stakeholders.
   
   
3. Change impact assessment. Changes should be assessed for their potential impact on the organisation, including impacts on people, processes, systems, and culture. This assessment should inform decision-making and change implementation planning.
   
   
4. Stakeholder engagement.  Stakeholders should be engaged throughout the change process, with clear and consistent communication about the change and its impacts.
   
   
5. Performance monitoring.  Changes should be monitored to ensure that they are delivering the expected benefits and that they are not causing unintended negative consequences.

By implementing effective business change governance practices, organisations increase their chances of successfully managing changes and achieving their desired outcomes.

Why do you need Change Governance?

Change Governance is critical to the success of any Business Change Initiative. Providing oversight and guidance ensures the transformation stays on track and delivers the required results on time by removing roadblocks and/or enabling action through its senior leadership/sponsor.  Business Change initiatives are more likely to fail or proceed slowly without a change in governance.

Prerequisites

Confirmation of Change Sponsor:

The Change Sponsor is the most senior executive champion of the initiative and provides active leadership. The Change Sponsor defines the case for change, mobilises resources, and communicates with stakeholders to ensure the successful adoption of the initiative. Having a designated Change Sponsor is essential to ensure that the change is managed effectively and that everyone in the organisation knows their roles and responsibilities.

High-level Stakeholder Analysis:

A high-level stakeholder analysis will identify key stakeholders who understand the needs and expectations of the Change Programme. They have already “bought-in” to the change required, plus the commitment and effort they must provide for success. Some of these key stakeholders may form the Change Governance Team. A stakeholder analysis should be conducted early to identify all key stakeholders.

Steps To Form The Change Governance Group

1. Define the case for change - The Change Sponsor defines the case for change, mobilises resources, and communicates with stakeholders to ensure the successful adoption of the initiative. Confirm the business change sponsor
   
2. Engage with the key stakeholders - To ensure the successful delivery of a Business Change Initiative, it is essential to communicate and actively engage with all relevant governance stakeholders before you begin planning the Change Project.  Complete-a-stakeholder-analysis
3. Confirm the objectives and benefits - Look at the tasks that your organisation needs to accomplish and see how they fit together strategically to get to the desired outcome. Business and programme benefits
4. Confirm the Governance Team - This team generally includes the Change Sponsors, Change Leads, People managers, Project managers, and Employees. If you are still in the early stages, list candidates suitable for each role in the Change Management Team.  The change management team

Assuring Alignment with Business Change Governance

Confirm These Statements To Ensure Your Project Change Governance Readiness:

1. We have a Change Sponsor.
2. The Change Sponsor is a senior manager/executive.
3. The objectives of the Change Initiative are clearly defined.
4. We have identified potential roadblocks to success.
5. We have defined the tangible and intangible benefits to be achieved.
6. The stakeholders/people managers responsible for implementing the change are identified, and key members are invited to the Governance Team.
7. We understand who is impacted by the change.
8. We have a timeline for the change/initiatives.
9. We understand the resources required to deliver the Change Initiative.
10. The known risks associated with the Change Initiative are defined.
11. There is a communication plan for the change.