Change doesn't fail because of bad technology — it fails because of under-prepared people. These are the evidence-based frameworks I use to close that gap and build workforces that are ready before go-live.
Awareness · Desire · Knowledge · Ability · Reinforcement
ADKAR is my go-to lens for individual-level change. It diagnoses exactly where a person is breaking down in the transition — not the project, the person — and prescribes targeted interventions rather than blanket training.
Create Urgency → Anchor Change in Culture
Where ADKAR works at the individual level, Kotter operates at the organizational level. I use it to ensure leadership is aligned, the coalition is built, and wins are visible before momentum stalls.
Prepare → Iterative Design → Iterative Development
SAM replaces the slow, waterfall ADDIE process with an agile design loop. It lets me build and test learning solutions fast — critical when a go-live date won't move.
Experience · Social · Formal
Most organizations over-invest in the 10% (formal training) and neglect the 90% where real learning happens. I use this model to architect blended learning ecosystems that build capability on the job.
Each stage of ADKAR is a barrier point. Progress stalls when one element is missing. The model is applied sequentially — you can't shortcut it.
Why does the change need to happen? People won't move without a clear, credible reason.
Do they want to participate? Motivation is personal — it can't be mandated.
Do they know how to change? This is where training and learning design enter.
Can they demonstrate the change? Knowing how and being able to do it are different.
What keeps the change in place? Without reinforcement, people revert.
Applied in parallel with ADKAR to ensure the organization's leadership structure supports the individual change journey.
Build a compelling case for why the status quo is no longer an option.
Assemble a team with the authority, credibility, and energy to lead change.
Define where you're going and what it looks like when you get there.
Repeat it relentlessly through every channel and every leader.
Identify structural and cultural barriers and eliminate them proactively.
Generate visible, early successes to sustain momentum and silence skeptics.
Use early wins as a platform to tackle bigger, deeper systemic changes.
Connect new behaviors to organizational identity so they outlast the project.
A federal health agency deploying a new Electronic Health Records system to 4,000+ employees across 12 regional sites. Go-live in 90 days. Workforce readiness score at intake: 34%.
Whether you're 90 days from go-live or still in the planning phase — the earlier change management is embedded, the better the outcome. Let's talk about what your workforce needs.