Improvement projects change how people work, and a change that people do not adopt saves nothing. Change management is the discipline of helping people understand, accept, learn, and sustain a new way of working.
This guide compares two widely used models, ADKAR and Kotter's 8 steps, shows how to diagnose the barrier point for each group, gives a simple change plan, and works through an example in which three shifts need three different actions.
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Before You Start
Why Change Management Matters for Improvement
Good Solutions Still Fail
A better process that people do not adopt delivers nothing. Adoption is a people problem as much as a technical one.
Resistance Is Information
People push back for reasons: unclear benefits, fear for their jobs, doubts about the plan. Listening turns resistance into design input.
Different Groups Have Different Barriers
One shift may not know why the change is needed while another lacks the skills. One message does not fit all.
Sustaining Takes Reinforcement
Without follow-up, habits return. Reinforcement, feedback, and leadership behavior keep the change in place.
Two Widely Used Models
| Model | Focus | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| ADKAR (Prosci) | Individual change | Awareness of the need, Desire to take part, Knowledge of how, Ability to do it, Reinforcement to sustain it. The first element with a low score is the barrier point. |
| Kotter's 8 steps | Organizational change | Create urgency, build a guiding coalition, form a vision, communicate it, empower action, generate short-term wins, consolidate gains, and anchor the change in the culture. |
They complement each other: Kotter's steps shape how leaders run a change, and ADKAR helps diagnose why particular people or groups are not yet on board. ADKAR is a model developed and trademarked by Prosci. See the Body of Knowledge entries on ADKAR and Kotter's 8-Step Model.
Worked Example: Rolling Out Standard Work Across Three Shifts
A plant introduces standard work for a packing process. After a month, adoption differs by shift. A short survey scores each ADKAR element from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), using statements such as "I understand why this change is needed" and "I have been shown how to do the new method." The scores are illustrative.
| Shift | First element below 3 | What it suggests | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Reinforcement (2) | People know how and want to, but nothing keeps them at it | Supervisor audits and feedback; recognize adherence; check the standard is still practical |
| B | Desire (2) | People understand it but are not convinced or are worried | Listen to concerns; involve them in refining the standard; show results from other shifts |
| C | Knowledge (2) | People were not trained well enough to do it | Hands-on training with the standard work sheet and a coach on the floor; follow with a check |
Sending one company-wide message about "why we need standard work" would have helped Shift B a little, and would have done nothing for Shift A or Shift C. Targeting the barrier point lets each shift's supervisor take the right action. The team re-runs the survey after four weeks to see whether the scores moved.
Map who is affected with the Stakeholder Analysis Builder and weigh drivers and restrainers with the Force Field Analysis Builder.
A Simple Change Plan
- State the change and why in terms people care about, and what will not change.
- Identify who is affected and what each group stands to gain or lose.
- Assess readiness with a short survey and conversations, and find the barrier points.
- Involve people early in shaping the change, especially those who do the work.
- Communicate often, in both directions, through the people staff trust, and answer questions honestly.
- Train and coach at the point of work, and remove obstacles.
- Reinforce and measure adoption, celebrate early wins, and adjust.
Self-Assessment Questions
- Do people understand why the change is needed, in terms that matter to them?
- Have we asked those affected what worries them, and acted on it?
- Do we know where each group is stuck, rather than assuming one message fits all?
- Do leaders model the new way of working?
- How will we reinforce the change after the project team leaves?
Common Mistakes
Treating Change as an Announcement
An email is not a change plan. Adoption needs involvement, training, and follow-up.
Blaming Resistance on People
Pushback often reveals a real problem with the change. Listen before you persuade.
Skipping Reinforcement
Without audits, feedback, and consistent leadership, old habits return.
One Size Fits All
Diagnose the barrier for each group. The right action for one may be wrong for another.
Change Management for Improvement Programs: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ADKAR model?
ADKAR is an individual change model developed by Prosci. It stands for Awareness of the need for change, Desire to participate and support it, Knowledge of how to change, Ability to implement the new skills and behaviors, and Reinforcement to sustain the change. The first element with a low score is treated as the barrier point to address first.
What are Kotter's 8 steps?
John Kotter's model for leading organizational change has eight steps: create a sense of urgency, build a guiding coalition, form a strategic vision, communicate the vision, empower action by removing obstacles, generate short-term wins, consolidate gains and keep momentum, and anchor the new approaches in the culture.
Why do employees resist change, and what should we do?
People resist when the benefit is unclear, when they fear losing status or their job, when they lack the skills, or when past changes were poorly handled. Treat resistance as information: listen, involve people in shaping the change, provide training and support, and reinforce the new way of working.
Sources and Further Reading
- Jeff Hiatt, ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and Our Community, Prosci.
- John P. Kotter, Leading Change.
- William Bridges, Managing Transitions.
- ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Body of Knowledge, sections on change management.