Change Management and Project Management – Art, Science and Craft

Project Management is a singularly successful mechanism to support the implementation of new polices, processes and systems. It is one of the key disciplines to enable transformation at both an organisational and national level. PMBOK[1] defines Project Management as “the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver something of value to people” while PROSCI[2] defines Change Management as “the application of a structured process and set of tools for leading the people side of change to achieve a desired outcome.”[3]

Henry Mintzberg said that “management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet,” and the disciplines of project and change management working together are the essence of art, science, and craft meeting to create a winning combination to enable any organisation, corporation or indeed country to pursue strategic change.

The Government of Jamaica’s (GOJ) 8 Step Change Management Framework as outlined below recognises that the integration of Project Management and Change Management is critical to project success. The disciplines work together to create a unified value proposition, that sets a foundation for strategic integration to ensure value is delivered throughout project implementation while creating benefits for both the agency and the people involved and impacted by the project.

GOJ 8 Step Change Management Framework and the Project Management Lifecycle

The Change Management Framework provides guidance on how to successfully execute change management and communication activities within the public sector transformation programme. It is closely aligned to the project management lifecycle/stages to ensure that the interests, needs and wants of ministries, departments, agencies, and individuals are addressed as project implementation is done. This integration is the fundamental reason that the transformation efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s public service, as part of a comprehensive public sector transformation agenda continues to be successful.

[1] PMBOK – Project Management Body of Knowledge issued by the Project Management Institute

[2] PROSCI – the Global Leader in Change Management which introduced the PROSCI ADKAR® Model – an approach to managing change posited on the belief that company-wide change happens one person at a time.

[3] Change Management and Project Management: A Side-by-Side Comparison, Tim Creasey