When Change Managers talk about “change impacts”, we're mainly referring to the impacts on people, as our main responsibility is to guide people through change. While other factors are important, starting with data on change impacts helps us prepare people for what's ahead.

This starter guide outlines simple steps for identifying key data points and structures to create a single view of change, focusing on change impacts. Any data application (e.g. Excel, Power BI or similar) can be used.

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Step 1: Start with people data.

As the work of Change Managers centres around people, the first task is to identify the stakeholder groups that need to be assessed for change impacts. Reference your organisation's operating model or organisational chart to build a high-level stakeholder map with two or three levels of data.

Example: Stakeholder Map

Step 2: Understand the context of change initiatives.

Next, determine the relevant data points that provide context for your change initiatives. It's important to understand how work is structured within your organisation. Many organisations have a Portfolio/Program Management Office (i.e. PMO) or Transformation Hub that follows preferred frameworks. Common work structures include:

• Traditional: Portfolios > Programs > Initiatives
• Agile: Initiatives > Epics > Stories

Timing is also a critical aspect of change initiatives. Key dates to capture include:

• Go-Live Date Additionally, consider gathering data on the following:
• Type
• Complexity
• Reach
• Overall Impact

These data points and their breakdown serve not only as contextual information but also as effective filters for analysis.

Example: Breakdown of Data Points

Balance detail with practicality when choosing your data points. While more data can theoretically offer deeper insights, too much data is often hard to manage and keep up-to-date. The goal is to capture enough data to create a meaningful picture that drives actionable conversations.

Step 3: Combine people data with context.

Finally, link the stakeholder groups identified in Step 1 with the contextual data points from Step 2. In a spreadsheet, these can be organised as columns, with each row representing the change impacts across stakeholder groups for a specific initiative. This structure makes the data easy to read and create data visualisations such as graphs and charts, for clearer insights.

Example: Excel Format

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While understanding change impacts is a great starting point, a Change Manager's role goes beyond that. As you advance, consider adding other data points such as capacity demands and business readiness, or any other factors from a people perspective.

By following these steps, you'll establish a solid foundation for a single view of change. The key is to start now—providing your leaders and delivery teams with data-driven insights that support informed decisions and benefit everyone experiencing change across your organisation.