Technology Modernization and Change Management Initiative

Problem: The client wanted to migrate to a new technology platform, which required managing vendors, revisiting contracts, revising curricula, altering data processes and related systems, managing communications internally and externally, and retraining staff, teachers and students nationwide. Having never undertaken a large change management initiative such as this, the client felt overwhelmed by the challenges of the project.

Goal:  Fitzgerald Analytics was asked to help the client with three aspects of this change:

• Lead a cross-functional team to successfully launch the new platform across the nation, on a very tight timeframe that left little room for error.
• Manage the various dimensions of change required within the organization to manage the new platform and all of its implications.
• Build the client’s capabilities to effectively handle large change management projects in the future.

Approach: Fitzgerald Analytics applied its proprietary Managing for Results™ framework which is used to manage large scale cross-functional projects. The main facets of the process included:

• Backwards Mapping: Working jointly with the client to define the vision and working backwards to identify a roadmap which would meet the goals of the modernization project.
• Workshop Development: Holding a number of workshops in which senior management from the client was educated in best practices for large change management initiatives.
• Implementation: Working with the client on achieving each of the milestones necessary in managing the transition to the new technology platform.

Result: The client successfully migrated to the new technology platform on time and within budget with over 16,000 high school students across the nation now using its new tools.  In addition, the client has been able to use the techniques taught by the Fitzgerald Analytics team to analyze and report on progress based on the data generated by the tool. Finally, the client has undertaken another large change management project, which it is successfully implementing on its own using the skills and capabilities it learned during the project with Fitzgerald Analytics.