Six-step cycle for planning change

Whether your planned change is transformational and organisation-wide or focused on one area of your business organisation or service, these six steps are equally applicable:

1. Explore all the possible (relevant) future scenarios, using the tools in this topic
2. Test and validate the scenarios that best represent the target for change
3. Compare the target for change with the current state to see what is missing
4. Specify the changes needed to get you to your target (destination, in other words) in the most cost-effective and productive way possible, with maximum benefits and minimum risk
5. Optimise – don’t worry if you don’t get it right first time; you can always backtrack and try another scenario that works better or has a more attractive return on investment
6. Agree – continue until you gain a genuine consensus across all key stakeholders.

The tools and techniques outlined on the following pages will help you to build a clear picture of the changes required to transform your organisation or business area.