• Are you about to kick off an important project, initiative, or transformation in your organization?
• Do you want to gather an early understanding of the risks of your project or gather input from your stakeholders BEFORE you start?
• Are you working on a project that is stuck or spinning?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, your team could benefit from a Change Canvas Workshop...

Of all the change management tools I use, the Change Canvas Workshop provides the most value in the shortest amount of time possible. This workshop, typically facilitated by a Senior Change Specialist, is usually two hours long.

Key stakeholders, including the Executive Sponsor, the Business Owner(s), the project team driving the initiative and representation from each impacted stakeholder group, are invited. This representation provides the opportunity to better understand everyone’s goals and concerns. It never ceases to amaze me how often stakeholders haven’t fully considered the impacts of the initiative on others.

Once this realization occurs, participants begin to problem-solve together, leading to better teamwork going forward and better outcomes for the project.

This is the “power” of the Change Canvas.

What is a Change Canvas Workshop?

The Change Canvas is an adaptation of the Business Model Canvas. It helps structure a conversation to define the change, identify the benefits and risks, and surface potential issues early on. The Canvas itself is a colorful poster that helps you to capture the output of the conversation as everyone adds their thoughts to the poster using sticky notes.

At the end of the session, you will have a high-level change management plan and more importantly, you will have a better understanding and alignment among all participants.

Benefits of a Change Canvas Workshop

The following are some benefits we regularly see after going through a Change Canvas Workshop:

1. Clarity and Alignment: The Change Management Canvas provides a clear and concise overview of the entire change initiative, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the vision and strategy.
2. Holistic Approach: By considering various elements simultaneously, the canvas encourages a holistic approach to change management, addressing both structural and cultural aspects.
3. Improves Communication: The visual nature of the canvas enhances communication among team members, fostering collaboration and a shared understanding of the change journey.
4. Proactive Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating risks early in the process enables organizations to navigate challenges more effectively, reducing the likelihood of project setbacks.
5. Adaptability: The canvas is a dynamic tool that can be updated and revised as the change initiative progresses, allowing organizations to adapt to evolving circumstances.
   
   

A Real-Life Example of Success

One memorable Change Canvas session involved an organization experiencing low adoption rates for newly installed IT solutions. IT was feeling overwhelmed with the negative feedback they had been getting about the installations of new technology and the project was not delivering the results they had hoped for.

We started by speaking with key stakeholders across the organization to help understand the issues. We identified a number of key issues such as lack of role clarity, poor central communications, confusion on why the changes were happening, and misconceptions about IT’s direction for future support.

In addition to making a number of recommendations for improvements, we decided to use a Change Canvas focusing on a current project within the larger program.

*Click image to enlarge

Despite initial complaints, stakeholders began problem-solving once the project sponsor clarified the project goals. Participants shared concerns, offered solutions, and misconceptions were dispelled. The session ended with stakeholders having a much better understanding of the project and each other, demonstrating the power of the Change Canvas. 

The greatest benefit I see after a canvas session is that everyone leaves with a much better understanding of the change and greater alignment. It makes the rest of the process so much smoother.

In an era where the volume and velocity of change are increasing, a Change Canvas Workshop is a valuable activity that can help organizations improve communication, stakeholder buy-in and project success. Its structured and visual approach empowers leaders, teams, and stakeholders to collaboratively drive change, ensuring that the entire organization moves in harmony toward a brighter future.

Ready to harness the power of a Change Canvas Workshop for your next project?
Contact us today to learn more and schedule a session with our Senior Change Specialists.

About the Author

Deborah Campbell is a Principal Consultant and the Practice Lead for Change Management at Online Business Systems. She has a background in psychology and mediation, and over 15 years of change management experience.

She has worked in the public and private sectors on large scale transformation initiatives and from that experience, has learned about the vital importance of strong and aligned Leadership during change. Deborah brings a systems and people-centered lens to all her work and presentations, helping organizations to harness the power of their most valuable asset, their people.