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January 1, 2020 35 min read

ITIL

Organizational change management: ITIL 4 Practice Guide

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This document provides practical guidance for the organizational change management (OCM) practice.

Table of Contents
1. About this document 5. Information and technology

2. General information 6. Partners and suppliers

3. Value Streams and processes 7. Important reminder

4. Organizations and people 8. Acknowledgements

1. About this document

It is split into five main sections, covering:

general information about the practice

the practice’s processes and activities and their roles in the service value chain

the organizations and people involved in the practice

the information and technology supporting the practice

considerations for partners and suppliers for the practice.

ITIL 4 QUALIFICATION SCHEME

Selected content from this document is examinable as a part of the following syllabuses:

ITIL Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support

ITIL Specialist: Direct, Plan and Improve.

Please refer to the relevant syllabus documents for details.

2. General information

2.1 PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION

Key message

The purpose of the OCM practice is to ensure that changes in an organization are implemented smoothly and successfully, and that lasting
benefits are achieved by managing the human aspects of the changes.

OCM is a practice that serves the continually emerging wish and need for organizational growth, improvement, and evolution.

To improve product and service portfolio, organizational structure or underlying technology, people are essential for the transformation to be
successful. Organizational evolution enables a change in their capabilities, the way they work, feel, and behave. These changes should not be
forced upon people but should lead to a new valuable system, so people could willingly adopt new ways of behaviour and work.

Key message

People are responsible for changes in behaviour as a response to changed circumstances (i.e. Changes to the system in which we work).
OCM aims to build a value-driven environment across the organization and enable successful organizational changes of a required scope.
According to the organizational vision and need, all stakeholders should adopt new ways of working, as well as minimize risks and possible
negative impacts of any change to the quality of service/products and consumer experience.

This is achieved by recognizing and understanding stakeholders’ expectations and values, having the vision, co-creating plans and actions,
communicating effectively, empowering employees, and anchoring a new cultural approach.

OCM contributes to every part of the service value system (SVS). It incorporates three premises:

The practice is integrated into value streams and ensures that changes are effective, safe, and meet stakeholders’ expectations.

The practice does not aim to unify all the changes planned and carried out in an organization into one big picture: this is neither possible
or required.

The practice should focus on balancing effectiveness, agility, compliance, and risk control for all changes in the defined scope.

2.2 TERMS AND CONCEPTS

2.2.1 Change, transformation, evolution
Change is a different way of executing tasks. Doing it as it has previously been done, but in a more efficient and productive way. Change uses
external impact to modify actions.

Transformation is a different way of working. It involves changes in beliefs, values, and wishes. Transformation results shift in the
organizational system and as a result, in personal and organizational behaviour. The transformation is based on learning from previous
mistakes.
Evolution is a state of continual improvement through transformation and change. The foundation of evolution is constant adjustments in
values, beliefs, and behaviour, with the use of internal and external feedback.

There is an important distinction between organizational change and transformation. Before any organizational change is executed,
stakeholders should consider the actions mentioned, as it will change the attitude and may impact the result.

Defining an initiative as a change or a transformation, helps to select appropriate methods for its management. It is also important to identify
whether a specific change contributes to the organization’s evolution.

To understand the evolutionary context and every change or transformation contribution to the organization’s development, a high level of
system intelligence from the stakeholders is required. System intelligence enables organizations to move from personal growth to team
growth and from managed groups to creative and mature teams.

2.2.2 Emotional, social, and system intelligence

When people are involved in situations, the level of complexity increases, and it is important to be ready to deal with unpredictable and
unknown circumstances. Even though the OCM practice is concerned with the people side of change, it is recommended to use the concepts
and tools provided by the change enablement practice. More information about complexity-based approach to changes can be found there.

Dealing with changes related to people requires a high level of presence, consciousness, self-leadership, and responsibility from all
stakeholders. Through the whole organizational change lifecycle, it is important to focus on all three dimensions: individuals involved in
change, relationships between them, and systems in general.

To create flexible, resilient, and fulfilled individuals, teams, and systems, organizations should aim to support the development of three forms
of intelligence1:

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to access, express, and use one’s emotions in an efficient way. It describes having emotional self-
awareness and the capacity to manage feelings by directing them toward goals. It also ensures the ability to self-motivate, suppress impulsive
actions, and delay immediate satisfaction in order to achieve the goals.

Social intelligence builds on emotional intelligence. It is the capability to identify emotions of other people by not making assumptions, being
empathetic, and open to co-creative actions and new ways of working in order to achieve common goals and build positive relationships. It
also includes knowing and using social roles and rules, effective listening, and conversational skills.

Systems intelligence is the ability to understand, reflect upon, express, and incorporate the wider context of the system(s) a human interacts
within into actions. It combines sensitivity about the environment with system thinking. In regards to the ITIL guiding principles, it is based on
the ability to think and work holistically, while focusing on value, in the context of adaptive complex systems. It is the capability to see oneself
as a part of a system, identify system characteristics, be aware of system rules and patterns, and be able to contribute to a system
development consciously.

2.2.3 Values-based organizational change

Values are deeply held principles, ideas, and beliefs that people use when displaying behaviour. It is an important foundation for decision-
making and any potential changes.

If the culture of an organization is supported with personal values, it encourages people to bring their best effort and commitment to work. If
personal and organizational values are aligned, any resistance to change will be viewed as an additional source of information and resource for
improvement. Managing resistance will not be needed.

Organizational culture can be described as a set of values that are shared by a group of people, including ideas, beliefs, practices and
expectations about how people should behave. More information can be found in ITIL® 4: Direct, Plan and Improve.

Recognizing the distribution of values through the levels and identifying those that enable or limit the organization’s evolution, will generate
sources of information for organizational change, planning, and execution.

Based on articles and methods https://www.teamcoachingzone.com/wp- content/uploads/2015/01/RSI-White-Paper.pdf and

https://www.crrglobal.com/relationship-systems- intelligence.html [Accessed 25th October 2019]
Figure 2.1 Value based organizational change

“Organizations that focus exclusively on the satisfaction of the lower needs, are not adaptable and do not empower employees. Consequently,
there is little enthusiasm within the workforce, and there is little innovation and creativity. These organizations are often ruled by fear and are
not healthy places to work. Employees often feel frustrated and complain about stress.” Organizational changes are usually not successful in
this type of organizations.
“Organizations that focus exclusively on the satisfaction of the higher needs lack the basic business skills and capabilities necessary to operate
effectively. They are ineffectual and impractical when it comes to financial matters. They are not customer oriented, and they lack the systems
and processes necessary for high-performance.”

“The most successful organizations are those that have mastered both their “deficiency” needs and their “growth” needs. They create a climate
of trust, have the ability to manage complexity, and can respond or rapidly adapt to all situations.” These organizations present environment
for transformation and evolution.2

Quotations from https://www.valuescentre.com/wp- content/uploads/PDF_Resources/Additional_Articles/Article_Importance_of_Values.pdf

[Accessed 25th October 2019]

2.2.4 Organizational change principles3

Due to the latest findings in neuroscience, technologies (such as artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, and so on), and human emotional
evolution, there has been a big shift in management, leadership, and motivation approaches. These changes enable organizations to
reconsider the ways organizational changes are implemented. Many of the conventional models of change management are based on
obsolete ideas about human motivation and behaviour.

The OCM practice should include approaches to situations of different complexity. Organizations define the changes, the level of control, and
the principles that should be addressed by the practice. Change definition considerations can be found in the change enablement practice.

An example of a set of principles that can help guide the organizational changes to be successful through designing an adaptive environment is
shown below. Leaders in an organization must translate these principles to suit the specific requirements of their business if they are to
achieve the target of their change.

Clear and relevant objectives:

The objectives of the change must be based on the vision and values of the organization, and clear for the stakeholders. The change
must be of real value.
Strong and committed leadership:

A well-designed process uses leadership capabilities anywhere within the organization. Anyone can contribute or lead a change initiative
at any stage. The potentially complex and dynamic nature of a transformation or change should be considered, and leadership should be
flexible and open rather than fixed.

This practice should aim to create an environment where people may participate in change leadership as a shared practice.

Willing and prepared participants:

The employee’s strengths should be the focus. Organizations should shift from overcoming employees’ resistance towards encouraging
and supporting human intellectual capital for the purpose of organizational improvement.

Change stakeholders are valuable change agents: they can make vital contribution to an organizational transformation. People are
naturally problem solvers with a unique capacity to adapt to a continually developing environment.

Human-centred design of the OCM process. The needs and values of stakeholders should be understood.

Map stakeholders’ and organizational values.

Base a change on intrinsic motivation, rather than extrinsic reinforcement. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness4.

Sustained improvement

Keep co-creation as the centre approach for organizational change. Therefore, every area of an organization is open for feedback and
improvement. Co-creation is a choice that joins different parties to produce a mutually valued outcome.
 To maintain the achieved good result for organizational change, systems should continually evolve depending on organizational needs
and vision.

3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/carstentams/2019/09/10/metamorphle-nine-principles-for- good-design-of-organizational-
change/#2a1851283d31 [Accessed 25th October 2019]

2.3 SCOPE
The scope of the OCM practice includes:

designing, implementing, and continually improving an adaptive approach for a developing environment in an organization

planning and improving organizational change approaches and methods

scheduling and coordinating all ongoing changes through the whole lifecycle

communicating change plans and progress to relevant stakeholders

assessing change success, including outputs, outcomes, efficiency, risks, and costs.

This practice supports all value streams and can be used with any other practice as they can all initiate organizational changes. However,
organizations usually limit the application of the OCM practice to a finite number of changes, where behaviour, capabilities, responsibilities
and/or roles are to be changed.

Other practices may significantly contribute to the organizational changes in the four dimensions of service management. These are listed in
Table 2.1.

4 Self-Determination Theory, the leading motivational theory developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan.
Table 2.1 Organizational changes in the four dimensions of service management

Dimension of Areas subject to potential Scoping considerations

service organizational change
management

Information Hardware and software Service Usually addressed by the change enablement practice in conjunction with the
and architecture Service design project management, service design, and architecture management practices.
technology Technical and user documentation Some OCM activities may be used to support training,
design, and so on

Organizations Organizational structure Roles and Usually addressed by the OCM in conjunction with the project management,
and people responsibilities Culture and rules of workforce and talent management, and relationship management practices
work behaviour
Personal competencies

Value Value streams architecture Work May be addressed by the change enablement together with the OCM practice
streams and processes and procedures Process and/or other practices
processes documentation

Partners and Service dependencies on third parties May be addressed by the change enablement practice in conjunction with the
suppliers at the architecture level supplier management, OCM and/or other practices
Contractual arrangements with third
parties (new suppliers, change of
responsibilities, and so on.)
 Contract and other documents
(version changes, prolongation, and
so on.)

There are several activities and areas of responsibility that are not included in the OCM practice, although they are still closely related to
change. These are listed in Table 2.2, with references to the practice guides in which they can be found. It is important to remember that the
ITIL practices are collections of tools to use in the context of value streams; they should be combined as necessary, depending on the situation.

Table 2.2 Activities related to the OCM practice that are described in other practice
guides

Activity Practice guide

Organizational change initiation All other practices

Organizational change plan and adaptive environment design Relationship management Workforce and talent management Strategy
and realization management
Continual improvement

Change of IT infrastructure related to the organizational change Change enablement Release management Business analysis Deployment
management
Software development and management Service validation and testing
Portfolio management
 Service catalogue management

Change risks assessment and control Risk management

Costs control, financial evaluation of changes SALLY

Management of projects Project management

Definition of vision and strategic objectives Strategy management

Continual improvement in all four dimensions of service Continual improvement

management

2.4 PRACTICE SUCCESS FACTORS

A practice success factor (PSF) is more than a task or activity, as it includes components from all four dimensions of service management. The
nature of the activities and resources of PSFs within a practice may differ, but together they ensure that the practice is effective.

The OCM practice includes the following PSFs:

creating and maintaining a change-enabling culture across the organization

establishing and maintaining a holistic approach and continual improvement for organizational change management
 ensuring organizational changes are realized in an effective manner, leading to stakeholders’ satisfaction and meeting compliance
requirements.

2.4.1 Creating and maintaining a change-enabling culture across the organization

A change-enabling culture is a set of beliefs, attitudes, values, common knowledge, and expectations about change shared by people within an
organization. It determines whether people can identify, understand, openly discuss, and act on change in a way that leads to organizational
evolution. Additionally, it differs between organizations and may become a competitive advantage, if implemented wisely.

OCM technics and instruments can only be effective when they are used in the right way and moment, and with commitment from change
stakeholders.

An organization that adapts changes can be established by creating an atmosphere where people are encouraged to speak up, challenge the
way things are done, and listen and communicate effectively. Adaptive environments stimulate discussions and input for changes, considers
agile vision, and new ways of operation. This culture may not only impact internal communication within an organization, but also cooperation
with partners and suppliers.

To assist OCM practice with creating and maintaining an efficient change-enabling culture, it is important to use the following practices:

workforce and talent management

relationship management

strategy management

continual improvement management.

2.4.2 Establishing and maintaining a holistic approach and continual improvement for
organizational change management
Identifying opportunities to improve organizational changes, principles, and methods are important. Improvements can also be initiated in
areas such as the practice’s processes, tools, or other resources; and should aim to improve the practice and the experience of the
stakeholders.

It is important to ensure that service improvements are not only initiated, but also effectively implemented. An approach to implementing
improvements is described in the continual improvement practice guide. Also, it is vital to use multiple practices in the context of value
streams, to maintain the progress of the continual improvement of services.

2.4.3 Ensuring organizational changes are realized in effective manner, leading to

stakeholders’ satisfaction and meeting compliance requirements
Organizations should specify and execute a process to manage organizational changes. The OCM practice ensures that the most suitable
process for organization’s values and vision is in use. Many stakeholders have an interest in organizational changes. This includes:

service provider teams

users

customers

sponsors of service provision

sponsors of service consumption

 suppliers and partners.

This practice ensures that stakeholders are identified and that their values and expectations are captured, considered, and met as appropriate.
This is done in combination with the relationship management, risk management, and business analysis practices.

Organizations should focus on the continual monitoring of stakeholder engagement and satisfaction during change planning, realization, and
after the change is complete. Ongoing communication, status updates, and feedback collection are important components of managing
satisfaction and the workforce and talent management practice.

Many change-related governance and compliance requirements affect the OCM practice. It is important that organizations capture them,
understand them, and ensure that they are met. The practice supports this by:

including required controls in change plans, processes, and procedures

providing required information

initiating improvement to prevent or correct non-compliance.

As the IT world is constantly changing, many organizations do not have a static end state of the change it requires. Therefore, it should
maintain flexibility in structures to support constant improvement according to recent needs; this will lead to a change adaptive environment
and enable capacity to fulfil them in the most beneficial way.

2.5 KEY METRICS

The effectiveness and performance of the ITIL practices should be assessed within the context of the value streams to which each practice
contributes. As with the performance of any tool, the practice’s performance can only be assessed within the context of its application.
However, tools can differ greatly in design and quality, and these differences define a tool’s potential or capability to be effective when used
according to its purpose. Further guidance on metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and other techniques that can help with this can be
found in the measurement and reporting practice guide.
Key metrics for the OCM practice are mapped to its PSFs. They can be used as KPIs in the context of value streams in order to assess the
contribution of the practice to the effectiveness and efficiency of those value streams. Some examples of key metrics are given in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3 Key metrics for the OCM practice
Practice success factors
Creating and maintaining a change-enabling culture across the
organization
Establishing and maintaining a holistic approach and continual
improvement for organizational change management
Ensuring organizational changes are realized in an effective manner,
leading to stakeholders’ satisfaction and meeting compliance
requirements
Key metrics
Awareness of the organizational change, principles, and
methods across the organization
Attitude towards organizational changes across the organization
Level of resistance to changes
Alignment in attitude to changes at different levels of the
organization
Stakeholder satisfaction with the procedures and
communications
Amount of improvements initiated by the OCM practice
Stakeholders satisfaction with knowledge about up to date
transformational methods and tools
Change initiators’ satisfaction with change outcomes Change
success/acceptance rate over period
Compliance with formally stated requirements, according to
audit reports Change initiators’ satisfaction with change
timeliness
Stakeholder satisfaction with realization of individual changes
The correct combination of metrics into complex indicators will make it easier to use the data for the ongoing management of value streams,
and for the periodic assessment and continual improvement of the OCM practice. There is no single best solution. Metrics will be based on the
overall service strategy and priorities of an organization, as well as on the goals of the value streams to which the practice contributes.

3. Value Streams and processes

3.1 VALUE STREAM CONTRIBUTION

Like any other ITIL practice, the OCM practice contributes to multiple value streams. It is important to remember that a value stream is never
formed from a single practice. This practice combines with other practices to provide high-quality services to consumers. The main value chain
activities to which the practice contributes are:

design and transition

engage

improve

plan.

The contribution of the OCM practice to the service value chain is shown in Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.1 The contribution of the OCM practice to the service value chain

For more detailed description of OCM’s contribution to value streams, see ITIL® 4: Direct, Plan and Improve, section 7.3.1.6.

3.2 PROCESSES
Each practice may include one or more processes and activities that may be necessary to fulfil the purpose of that practice.

OCM activities form two processes:

organizational change lifecycle management

management of change adaptive environment.

3.2.1 Organizational change lifecycle management

This process includes the activities listed in Table 3.1 and transforms the inputs into outputs.

Table 3.1 Inputs, activities, and outputs of the organizational change lifecycle management process

Key inputs Activities Key outputs

Change request Understand need and scope New organizational structure New behaviour
Organization vision and strategy Financial guidelines and Create change team in a system New roles
constraints Risk information
 Policies and regulatory requirements Create change vision, plan, quick New capabilities Role descriptions Guidance
wins materials
Communicate change Change review reports
Lead to change, enable Lessons learnt
operation
Anchor new state of the system
Sustain system

Figure 3.2 shows the workflow for organizational change lifecycle management.

Figure 3.2 Workflow for organizational change lifecycle management

The process may vary depending on the change type and scope. Table 3.2 provides examples of the activities in two different scopes of
change5.

Organizations should embrace the diversity of architectures and approaches to management to ensure the flexibility of services and meet
stakeholder expectations.

5 https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/changing-the-change-rules-at-google [Accessed 25th October 2019]

Table 3.2 Organizational change lifecycle management process activities

Activity Merge two IT teams Implement a new role of business analyst in a small
start-up

Understand The program manager of an IT project identifies the need to Service owner introduces the need for a new role.
need and change organizational structure and the change lead is Relevant Service Stakeholders discuss and decide:
scope nominated by management team (change sponsor).
Change lead together with management team answers the Why this change is needed?
following questions:
Is it aligned with the company vision and targets?
Is the change needed?
What are the opportunities and threats?
Is it needed right now?
How will successful implementation or failure look
Is it aligned with the vision and targets? like?

What problem(s) will it help solve?

 What are the opportunities and threats it may bring to the What are the alternatives to the change?
system?

Which inputs are needed before a final decision is made? How it will impact the system?

Who is responsible for the inputs?

Will it impact the strategy?

Are new priorities emerging?

What is the desired future state of the system?

What are the risks of obtaining the future state?

How will success or failure look like?

What are the alternatives to this change?

Create Change lead and management team answer the questions: Relevant service stakeholders discuss and decide:
Change team
Who is responsible for the final decision? Who is responsible for the final decision?

Who can make decisions if there are doubts or disputes Who will design and create the role description?
through the change?
Who will play the role?
 Who are all the stakeholders?
Who else will be impacted by a new role?
Who is impacted by change?

Who may resist the change and how can they be heard
and supported?

Who will contribute the most to change?

The change team is nominated, created and announced on the

basis of the answers.

Create Change team creates change vision and a plan: Relevant service stakeholders discuss and decide:
change How change will be executed?
How will all four dimensions of service management be
vision, plan, What actions need to be done
covered in a change:
quick wins
How will all four dimensions of service management be Is there a need for new technologies for the role?
covered in a change?
How will the person learn to take a role?
How will change be communicated?
Are processes or instruction updates needed?
How can change be absolute?
How can the role be introduced to the partners?
How can the change be managed through the journey?

What are the possible quick wins?

How can any positive or negative progress be identified?

 How will change be measured?

Employees who will be impacted by changes are involved in the

discussion and plan review as early as possible. Their ideas,
fears, and
resistance are heard and considered.

Lead to Time is invested to present and discuss the answers to the Change executed as planned before.
change questions above to change leaders. Use different channels to Plans and approaches of trainings and communication
communicate change (in person, corporate and social networks, can be agile and be adjusted through the ongoing
newsletters, and so on.) change.
The planned actions are executed with the project management
actions.
Progress iteratively with feedback.

Anchor new The change progress and results are measured: All service stakeholders, including the person who
state of the plays a new role, observe the operation and share their
system organizational health metrics (employee survey, new feelings and feedbacks about a change.
capabilities review)

business performance metrics (related service quality,

customer satisfaction)

Data is analysed and presented to all stakeholders to map

results to feedback.
The change team celebrates the change with all the
stakeholders and the management team acknowledges all
achievements.
 Sustain Management and change team ensures that prioritization of Corrective action plans are implemented if required,
system tasks is set up and clear for all stakeholders to be able to lessons learned are captured and knowledge is shared
distinguish time between ongoing operation and change within the organization.
actions.
For some time, after the project is over, change lead still uses
monthly pulse to check feedbacks from the new department
team and consolidates information about opportunities to
correct/improve system.
Corrective action plans are implemented if required, lessons
learned are captured and knowledge is shared within an
organization.

Communicate The communication strategy is executed and maintained to All other roles who are in communication with
change sustain ongoing awareness. business analyst are open for any questions. Joined
Leaders refocus operation to connection with the change once quick improvement discussions are held constantly in
or twice a day: a formal and informal way.
How can it work in a planned future? How the change will help
solve this issue?

3.2.2 Management of change adaptive environment

In adaptive organizations, change is not a forced event, but rather a part of organizational culture. This process includes the activities listed in
Table 3.3 and transforms the inputs into outputs.

Table 3.3 Management of change adaptive environment process activities

 Key inputs Activities Key outputs

Individuals and organization’s values assessment Understand internal Adaptability improvement plan
Organizational changes implementation reports organizational system Change requests
Previous improvement results Policies and Identify external factors and Updated instructions and guidance for
regulatory requirements Financial guidelines and influences organizational change lifecycle management
constraints Employees surveys Optimize response Requirements and information for knowledge
Improvements proposals from relationship, Create adaptability management, workforce and talent management,
workforce and talent management practices improvement plan and initiate relationship management
Recent trainings and capability development improvement within OCM
reports and results
Risk information

Figure 3.3 shows a workflow diagram of the process.

Figure 3.3 Workflow for management of change adaptive environment
Table 3.4 Activities of the change adaptive environment

Activity Example

Understand OCM includes leading together with the management team, service owners and other relevant stakeholders review and
internal analyse:
organizational
system The current organizational values and the way they are precepted by employees. As well as analysing the individual
Factors, values of people.
influences and
challenges
Results and progress of recent organizational changes and requests for organizational structure improvement from
other practices.

Employees and customers surveys.

Other data that may help to understand if the organization is flexible and competitive enough to meet the vision
and strategy.

This is done regularly, for example once a year, or as a response to a significant change of the external factor.

Identify OCM includes leading together with the management team, service owners continually review and analyse:
external factors
and influences external factors that impact organizational system by using the PESTLE model or other relevant frameworks

world best and latest practices for emotional, social, and system intelligence development
 requirements and recommendations for organizational structure in related industries

change handling technics and methods

other valuable information for supporting the adaptable environment.

Optimize OCM includes leading together with the management team and service owners on the foundation of two previous steps
response to identify the optimal response of change adaptability level to organizational strategy. The OCM leader uses knowledge
management tools to share the most valuable information within the organization.
The OCM team recognizes that not all best practices and new approaches should be implemented and used. Even though
the fear of missing out may cause desire to use all the best approaches for improvement, organizations should only use
those that are best for its interests and suits the vision.

Create The change leader registers everything required, initiates improvements, and processes it with the involvement of
adaptability continual improvement practice.
improvement
plan and run

improvement For example, to improve diffusion of changes in the future, an organization decided to implement and develop the
actions within organization social network as a tool for communication.
the OCM Successful change depends of the time and quality of information shared within change stakeholders. Diffusion of
practice information (ideas, values, practices, and so on.) benefits from intense networks.
This will be implemented and part of the improvement plan combined with
knowledge management, relationship management, change enablement, and continual improvement practice.
The OCM practice activities are performed by the service provider, as described in Tables 3.2 and 3.4. They may involve customers, suppliers,
and partners. These activities are also supported and sometimes partially automated by tools and technologies which are described in the
following sections.

4. Organizations and people

4.1 ROLES, COMPETENCIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The practice guides do not describe the roles of practice owners or managers that should exist for all practices. They focus instead on specialist
roles specific to each practice. The structure and naming of each role may differ from organization to organization, so any roles defined in ITIL
should not be treated as mandatory, or even recommended. It is also important to remember that roles are not job titles, and that one person
can take on multiple roles and one role can be assigned to multiple people.

Roles are described in the context of processes and activities. Each role is characterized with a competence profile based on the following
model shown in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Competency codes and profiles

Competence Description
code

L Leader Decision-making, delegating, overseeing other activities, providing incentives and motivation, and evaluating
outcomes
 А Administrator Assigning and prioritizing tasks, record-keeping, ongoing reporting, and initiating basic improvements

C Coordinator/Communicator Coordinating multiple parties, maintaining communication between stakeholders, and running
awareness campaigns

М Methods and techniques expert Designing and implementing work techniques, documenting procedures, consulting on
processes, work analysis, and continual improvement

Т Technical expert Providing technical (IT) expertise and conducting expertise-based assignments

Examples of the roles that can be involved in OCM activities, the associated competency profiles, and required skills are listed in Table 4.2.

Table 4.2 The roles involved in OCM activities

Activity Responsible roles Competency profile Special skills

Organizational change lifecycle

management

Understand need and scope Change leader LAM Knowledge and understanding of
Management team representative organization’s strategy and structure
HR specialist Decision making
Service owner

Create change team
Create change vision, plan, quick
wins
Communicate Change
Lead to change, enable operation
Product owner Analytical skills
Risk analysis
Change leader LAM Knowledge of communicational
Management team representative intelligence and nonviolent
HR specialist
Workforce and talent management communicational methods
Decision making
specialist Risk analysis
LAM - sally Knowledge of organizational structure
Change leader and strategy
Change team Knowledge of products and services
Project manager
Service owner impacted by a change
Product owner Risk management
Business impact analysis
Project management technics
Change leader Change team member ACM Knowledge of communicational
Knowledge management specialist intelligence and effective
HR team
Management team representative communicational methods
Understanding emotional, social, and
Project manager system intelligence
Knowledge of social networks
communication methods
Presentational skills
Mentoring, consultancy, and coaching
Change leader Change team member ACT Understanding of change vision
Knowledge of organization’s strategy
 Project manager Service owner
Product owner Knowledge of products and services
impacted by a change
Management team representative

Anchor new state of the system Change leader LCM Decision making
Change team Analytical
Management team representative Understanding emotional, social, and
system intelligence

Sustain system Change leader LCM Usage of activities prioritization

Change team methods
Management team representative Decision making
Analytical skills
Mentoring, consultancy, and coaching

Management of change adaptive Management of change adaptive Management of Management of change adaptive
environment environment change adaptive environment
environment

Understand internal Change leader CMT Analytical skills

organizational system
Management team representative Knowledge of organization’s strategy
HR specialist Knowledge of values review and system
Service owner assessment methods
Product owner Knowledge of the services and
products

Identify external factors and Change leader Analytical skills

 influences Change team TMC
Management team representative
HR specialist
Risk and compliance expert
Service owner
Product owner

Optimize response Change leader LM Knowledge of organization’s strategy

Management team representative and goals
Understanding emotional, social, and
system intelligence
Understanding organizational
structure
Knowledge of the services and
products

Create adaptability improvement Change leader ACM Knowledge of organization’s strategy

plan and initiate improvement Management team representative and goals
Service owner Knowledge of continual improvement
within OCM Product owner
HR specialist method
Continual improvement manager

4.1.1 Change Leader role

A change leader role is also known as change lead or change coach in different organizations. It is common practice to assign the role to
management, HR, or project management teams; but it can also be successfully taken by a representative of any other team, who is capable of
coordinating actions around the change scope and requirements in the most efficient way.
The role of a change leader should focus less on pushing through a change project, and more on creating the change-enabling environment,
where stakeholders can choose to adapt for the new required state of the organizational system.

This role is typically responsible for:

The initial processing and verification of a change request by coordinating an action of understanding the change need and scope.

Coordinating the identification, nomination, and creation of a change team.

Empowering, mentoring, and leading a change team through the whole change lifecycle.

Formally communicating decisions made through the change lifecycle to the stakeholders and affected parties.

Monitoring and reviewing the activities of the teams that are involved in a change.

Conducting regular ad hoc practice analyses, and initiating improvements to the practice, procedures, used methods, and tools.

Developing the organization’s expertise in the methods and approaches for the OCM practice.

Creating an environment that embraces psychological safety, mutual respect, and trust; where employees can realize potential as self-
initiating change agents.

Reinforcing conformity with the change mandate by holding the change team accountable.

The competency profile for these roles is LACM, though the importance of each of these competencies varies from activity to activity.

4.1.2 Change team member role

Any organizational change methods and tools are flawed unless it acknowledges people’s capacity for agency and co-creation. Today’s
knowledge-based environment, often requires complex problem solving and depends on the collaboration between multi-specialized
contributors.

Shared leadership models support organization’s evolution by shifting from top-down one-hero leadership to interdependent, coordinative
leadership by a change team. A change team is a team of people with different capabilities and skills who work together and lead change to
achieve mutually desired outcomes. The shared leadership is a set of shared practices that should be executed by people at all levels of an
organizational structure.

A change team and a change lead are responsible for defining, communicating, and executing the change vision and plan. It is expected that
the change team will apply its ingenuity and contribute ideas and efforts to change.

When organizational change is a part of a big project or program, it is also supported by a project management team.

A change team member should demonstrate the following types of behaviour to support change processes:

taking risks

eager to learn new ways of working

unlearning old methods

assuming new responsibilities and letting go obsolete ones

gathering feedback

discussing errors
 celebrating and acknowledging small and big wins.

4.2 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND TEAMS

It is unusual to see dedicated organizational structures for the OCM practice, although the change leader role may be associated with a formal
job title. This is typical for organizations with a complex bureaucracy or when a very high level of change-adaptive environment is required for
organizational success.

Many organizations may include a change team and temporary teams assigned for a specific change, especially if the change is treated as a
project. For more details on project teams, please see the management practice guide.

5. Information and technology

5.1 INFORMATION EXCHANGE

The effectiveness of the OCM practice is based on the quality of the information used. This includes, but is not limited to, information about:

organizational strategy and values

organizational structure

reflection of employees’ values to organizational values

services and their architecture and design

 partners and suppliers

policies and requirements which regulate organizational structure

methods and technics to run organizational changes

proposed changes, including:

expected benefits for the employees and the organization as whole

estimated time and cost of change realization

regulations affecting the change

lessons learned from similar changes in the past

past and ongoing changes

stakeholder satisfaction with the practice.

This information may take various forms. The key inputs and outputs of the OCM practice are listed in section 3.2.

One important success factor of any change is an efficient distribution of accurate, timely, and up- to-date information. The distribution of
information and ideas relies on the employees’ network density. The more links between social-network modes, the more likely that
information will spread.

In bigger networks, people can benefit from the diversity of information channels, and the amount of perspectives to see one change. Network
density makes it more likely that change understanding and acceptance will be achieved faster6.
6 https://www.forbes.com/sites/carstentams/2018/04/23/it-takes-a-village-change- management-as-community-building/#d1c52f85683e
[Accessed 25th October 2019]

5.2 AUTOMATION AND TOOLING

In most cases, the OCM practice can significantly benefit from automation and using tools. Where this is possible and effective, it may involve
the solutions outlined in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Automation solutions for OCM activities

Communicating and initiating improvement actions

Process activity Means of automation Key functionality Impact on the

effectiveness of the
practice

Organizational Organizational change lifecycle management Organizational change lifecycle Organizational

change lifecycle management change lifecycle
management management

Understand need Workflow systems, backlog management tools, and Enabling and controlling workflow for Medium, more
and scope Kanban boards changes; prioritization of backlog and impact on
workflow management; workflow organizations with
visualization large volumes of
changes
Create change Workflow systems, collaboration tools, and human Formalization and structuring of the Medium to high,
team resource planning tools assessment, providing more accurate especially for large
and solid data about change organizations with
stakeholders and organizational complex structure
structure

Create change Workflow systems, backlog management tools, Kanban Formalization and structuring of plans Very high,
vision, plan, quick boards, project management tools, ideation platforms and required actions. Quick and especially for large
wins traceable remote control volumes of
changes

Communicate Knowledge management tools, internal and external Enabling information and distributing Very high
Change social network tools, tools needed to master the new ideas through the organization.
skills and capabilities Providing easy access to new skills and
knowledge.

Lead to change, Workflow management tools, collaboration and Visualization and reporting for up-to- Very high,
enable operation reporting tools, Kanban boards, and project date views on the ongoing changes especially when
management tools many changes are
realized
simultaneously

Anchor new state Reporting tools, presentational tools, and knowledge Analysing, summarizing and Medium to high,
of the system management tools presenting results to stakeholders especially when
regulations require
traceable records
Sustain system Social network tools, different communicational Providing easily accessible, timely and Medium to high,
channels and presentational tools relevant support, mentoring, especially in a big
consultancy through the change size organization
with a complex
structure

Management of Management of change adaptive environment Management of change adaptive Management of

change adaptive environment change adaptive
environment environment

Understand Social network tools, analytical and reporting tools, data analysis, information Medium to high,
internal talent management and HR tools presentation and sharing especially with a
organizational complex structure
system

Identify external Knowledge management tools, external analytical Collecting best practices, new High
factors and information portals and libraries, External professional approaches, and other information
influences social networks, Legal information portals, Platforms outside the organization
for experience exchange between organizations

Optimize response Analytical and solution modelling tools, presentational Data analysis, decision making and Medium
tools, and knowledge management tools presentation to stakeholders

Creating Project management tools, communicational systems, Communicating and initiating Medium to high,
 adaptability and collaboration systems improvement actions especially in a big
improvement plan size organisation
and initiate with a complex
improvement structure
within OCM

6. Partners and suppliers

Very few services are delivered using only an organization’s own resources. Most, if not all, depend on other services. These are often provided
by third parties (see section 2.4 of ITIL®
Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition for a model of a service relationship). Organizational change may impact agreements that are already finalized and
working patterns with partners and suppliers. Therefore, these relationships should be considered while creating and performing a change
vision and plan.

Relationships between organizations may involve various levels of integration and formality. (see Table 3.1 of ITIL®
Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition for more information about relationships between organizations). The decision to involve partner representatives to
change activities, present change results or request input information to change, depends on forms of cooperation.

Where organizations aim to ensure fast and effective OCM, they usually try to agree close cooperation with their partners and suppliers,
removing formal bureaucratic barriers in communication, collaboration, and decision-making (see the supplier management practice guide for
more information).

Some organizational change activities may be outsourced to the third parties such as training, workshops facilitating, coaching, analysis, audits,
and so on. The ownership and accountability for OCM actions are usually not transferred to an external resource.

7. Important reminder
Most of the content of the practice guides should be taken as a suggestion of areas that an organization might consider when establishing and
nurturing their own practices. The practice guides are catalogues of topics that organizations might think about, not a list of answers. When
using the practice guides, organizations should always follow the ITIL guiding principles:

focus on value

start where you are

progress iteratively with feedback

collaborate and promote visibility

think and work holistically

keep it simple and practical

optimize and automate.

More information on the guiding principles and their application can be found in section 4.3 of ITIL®
Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition.

8. Acknowledgements

Axelos Ltd is grateful to everyone who has contributed to the development of this guidance. These practice guides incorporate an
unprecedented level of enthusiasm and feedback from across the ITIL community. In particular, AXELOS would like to thank the following
people.
8.1 AUTHORS
Antonina Klentsova.

8.2 REVIEWERS
Roman Jouravlev.

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