This article is part of the How Do YOU CM2? blog series in collaboration with the Institute for Process Excellence (IpX). Although I receive compensation for writing this series, I stand behind its content. I will continue to create and publish high-quality articles that I can fully endorse. Enjoy this new series, and please share your thoughts!
Every change process is fundamentally the same. You have a Request phase and an Implementation phase. During the Request phase, you handle registration and intake of the request, proposal development, impact analysis, and disposition. During the Implementation phase, you plan the change, align resource commitments, and execute the implementation.
It does not matter if you change a product or an organization; the basic steps are the same.
🥇That means you only need ONE closed-loop change process to handle any change in your organization.
That does not mean:
- that all the people involved are always the same;
- that there is only one form and set of attributes;
- that there is only one route through the change process.
The CM2 Closed Loop Change Process is one change process that supports:
🔀Multiple tracks.
By default, it recognizes fast- and full-track, but you can design multiple tracks to help your organization. However, every track has the same basic steps.
🪸Multiple types of changes
Each type of change can have its own form and related attributes that align with the baseline it impacts. If you impact multiple baselines, the change form must be extended to include the relevant attributes for each baseline.
🎯Multiple Impact Matrices
For each impacted baseline, an Impact Matrix will be available to capture the impact of the change.
🥷Dedicated Change Leaders
CM2 promotes the use of dedicated change leaders and fit-for-purpose change boards to support efficient execution of the change process and robust decision-making. Because efficiency isn’t just about the process, it’s about people.
The takeaway?
You don’t need fragmented, siloed processes for every type of change. Lack of standardization and integration results in rework, missed opportunities, and a lack of traceability. With CM2, you extend the same process to cover different baselines, teams, and initiatives, scaling governance without creating complexity. So, when improvements are made, the entire organization can benefit.
💡 Here’s my question for you:
When your organization implemented a change process, did you adopt a single unified process or multiple processes? What worked, and what lessons did you learn along the way?
👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments, your experience could be the insight another leader needs today.
Check out the other How Do YOU CM2? posts.
Copyrights by the Institute for Process Excellence.