Change Management Guide 2026: Process, Models, Prosci Methodology, and Project Management
Business transformation
Management consulting
AI transformation
Change management is how organizations help people move from the current way of working to a new way of working without losing performance along the way.
When you treat change as a structured process rather than an announcement, projects deliver better outcomes, and new strategies stick.
Change management process
Change management PDF
Change management in project management
Types of change management
Change management Prosci
7 steps of change management
Change Management certification
For deeper reading on change management and models, many practitioners reference
Prosci change management overview,
Change management on Wikipedia,
and guides such as
Lucid Software’s change management models.
Keywords and questions this page covers?
- Keywords: change management process, types of change management, change management in project management.
- Keywords: change management Prosci, Prosci methodology, ADKAR model, 7 steps of change management.
- Keywords: change management book, change management PDF, change management certification.
- Questions: What is change management?
- Questions: How does the change management process work?
- Questions: What is the Prosci change management methodology?
- Questions: How is change management used in project management?
- Questions: What are common types of change management and core models?
What is change management?
Plain language definition
Change management is how you help people move from the current state to a future state so that a change delivers benefits instead of friction.
It focuses on communication, engagement, training, and reinforcement so new ways of working are adopted and sustained.
Organizational versus project change management
Organizational change management focuses on culture, leadership, and enterprise programs.
Project level change management applies the same principles to specific initiatives such as system implementations, restructures, or process changes.
Change management process and 7 steps?
| Phase | Goals | Example 7 steps of change management |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare for change | Clarify the change and build sponsorship. | 1. Define the change and case for change. 2. Identify stakeholders and assess readiness. 3. Build a sponsorship and governance model. |
| Manage change | Help people navigate the transition. | 4. Plan communications and engagement. 5. Plan training, coaching, and support. 6. Manage resistance and collect feedback. |
| Reinforce change | Lock in new behaviors and results. | 7. Measure adoption, recognize success, and adjust processes and controls to sustain the change. |
Classic models such as Kotter’s 8 step process and other frameworks often fit inside this three phase view. Many organizations adapt these steps into simple playbooks and checklists tailored to their culture.
Change management Prosci and ADKAR?
Prosci 3 phase process?
Prosci describes a three phase change management process: preparing for change, managing change, and reinforcing change.
Each phase includes activities such as defining the change, assessing readiness, building a sponsor model, creating communication and training plans, and reinforcing adoption with feedback and recognition.
ADKAR model?
The ADKAR model is a Prosci framework that describes five building blocks of individual change: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.
Many practitioners use ADKAR as a checklist to design communications, training, and reinforcement activities for each person or stakeholder group.
To learn more directly from the source, see Prosci’s What is Change Management and Prosci’s definition of change management, and summaries such as Umbrex on Prosci’s change management process.
Types of change management?
Organizational change management
Focuses on enterprise wide changes such as strategy shifts, restructures, culture initiatives, mergers, and large technology programs.
Work often spans multiple years and affects many functions.
Project and program change management
Focuses on specific projects such as ERP implementations, CRM rollouts, or new operating models.
Change practitioners collaborate closely with project managers and PMOs.
Process, technology, and behavioral change
Some teams classify change by focus area, such as process redesign, technology adoption, or culture and behavior change.
Each type can use common tools but may emphasize different risks and success metrics.
Change management in project management?
How change management supports projects?
Project management ensures a solution is delivered on time and on budget.
Change management ensures that people use the solution, so the project delivers benefits such as productivity, compliance, or customer outcomes.
Practical integration with project plans?
- Include change management milestones in project schedules.
- Align communications and training with key technical releases.
- Use adoption and utilization metrics alongside scope, schedule, and cost metrics.
- Clarify roles between project managers, sponsors, and change practitioners.
For more on this topic, many practitioners read Prosci on change management in project management and PMI resources on improving outcomes through change management.
Change management book, PDF, and certification?
Change Management book?
Many practitioners start with foundational change management books that cover models such as ADKAR, Kotter’s 8 steps, and other frameworks.
Look for titles that balance theory with case studies and tools you can adapt in your organization.
Change management PDF and toolkits?
Universities, professional associations, and consulting firms often publish free change management PDFs that summarize models, checklists, and templates.
These PDFs can be used as starting points for your own playbooks and training materials.
Change management certification?
Popular certification options include Prosci practitioner certification and credentials offered by organizations such as ACMP, PMI, and universities.
When selecting a certification, consider content, global recognition, community, and how well the approach fits your organization’s culture.
For overviews of models and approaches, see Lucid’s 7 fundamental change management models and Quickbase’s three types of change management models, which are frequently cited in articles and learning content.
Internal links and external references?
Recommended internal links
- Business transformation consultant guide 2025
- Organizational health consulting: assessing and improving organizational effectiveness
- AI transformation consulting guide 2025
- Data analytics consulting: turning data into business insights
- Management consulting solutions guide 2025
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FAQ?
What is change management?
Change management is a structured way to support people through change so that new strategies, processes, or systems deliver their intended benefits.
It focuses on communication, engagement, training, and reinforcement rather than only technical tasks.
What is the change management process?
Many organizations use a three phase process of preparing, managing, and reinforcing change, supported by specific steps such as building sponsorship, planning communications, providing training, and measuring adoption.
What is the Prosci change management methodology?
The Prosci methodology combines a three phase organizational change process with the ADKAR model for individual change and is based on ongoing research into what makes changes succeed.
What are the types of change management?
Common types include organizational change management, project and program change management, technology change, process change, and culture or behavior change.
How is change management used in project management?
In projects, change management focuses on the people who must adopt the solution, adding activities such as stakeholder analysis, communication, training, and resistance management to traditional project plans.
What is change management certification?
Change management certification programs teach core frameworks and tools and provide a credential that shows you have been trained to lead or support change initiatives.
