Overview

This 5 day course provides delegates with the opportunity to look at approaches to managing change and demonstrate they can apply the principles in practice. Four core areas will be explored: change and the organisation, change and the individual, communications and stakeholder engagement and change management in practice. Together they will enable a delegate to develop a comprehensive change management plan to support effective change within an organisation.

Prior to the course delegates will receive learning material to help them prepare adequately. All relevant course materials are provided, including the core textbook 'The Effective Change Manager's Handbook'. The course includes both the Change Management foundation and practitioner examination. Success in the examination enables delegates to apply for exemption from the knowledge level requirements for foundation level membership of the Change Management Institute.

The evening work is an integral part of the course and delegates should expect to spend approximately two and half hours on these activities each evening.

Read more

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are necessary for attendance, although delegates would benefit from some experience of organisational change prior to attending the course.

Pre-Course Reading

Delegates are provided with access to QA's pre-course learning material that will help them prepare for the classroom sessions. The pre-course work is expected to take approximately 20 hours to complete (although delegates may wish to spend longer on this activity to help them prepare more effectively).

Target Audience

  • Anyone interested in understanding the basic principles of achieving successful organisational change, transition or transformation.
  • Team members involved in organisational change, transition or transformation projects.
  • Professionals pursuing the Change Manager Practitioner Certificate
  • Aspiring or current managers of organisational change, transition or transformation.
  • Those performing key roles in the design, development and delivery of organisational change programmes, including:
    • Change Project Managers
    • Transformation Managers
    • Senior Responsible Owners
    • Business Change Managers
    • Change Programme Managers
    • Operational Line Managers
Read more

Learning Outcomes

During this course, you will learn how to:

  • Recognise the drivers for change
  • Consider the impact of change on individuals within the organisation
  • Identify different organisation cultures and understand their impact on the change process
  • Select an appropriate framework to use as the basis for the creation of a change management plan
  • Plan learning activities to support change
  • Identify and analyse stakeholders to understand their influence on the change plan
  • Create and implement a communications management plan
  • Develop an effective change team
  • Develop organisations that can respond well to change
  • Establish appropriate governance structures (Practitioner level)
  • Prepare for large facilitated workshops to encourage meaningful dialog with those affected by the change. (Practitioner level)
  • Design change that really does become the new business as usual (Practitioner level)

In addition delegates will be provided with advice and guidance on the Foundation and Practitioner examination.

Read more

Course Outline

The Change Management Foundation and Practitioner course gives delegates the opportunity to comprehensively explore current thinking on how to manage organisation change. Classroom sessions will introduce delegates to the foundation and practitioner level content of The Effective Change Manager's Handbook and provide an opportunity to test their understanding through practical group work and the use of sample examination papers. Additional evening work will be required in the form of consolidation reading and further sample examination questions.

The course will cover the following syllabus areas:

Change and the organisation

Defining change

Organisations are exposed to wide variety of factors which they need to respond to in order to survive and prosper. Delegates will consider:

  • Why their organisations need to change and the implications for this on the design of the change programme


Change, the organisation and the individual

A change management perspective

Successful change typically involves careful design and delivery of new products, services or processes. However the same care and attention is also needed for the 'people' element of any change. Delegates will consider:

  • The impact of change on the individual and what implications this has when planning change.
  • How different organisational cultures can affect the change experience
  • What frameworks are available to support the creation of a 'people focused' change management plan
  • Key roles in supporting successful change

Education and learning support

Change usually involves people learning new ways of working. Effective change management recognises this and incorporates learning and development into the change management plan. Delegates will consider:

  • The process of learning
  • Identifying and meeting learning needs
  • The implications of 'learning styles' when designing learning interventions

Communications and stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder strategy

Change agents need to understand who will be affected by the change so that their requirements can be taken into account while minimising disruption to current operational performance. Delegates will learn how to:

  • Identify and analyse stakeholders
  • Develop effective influencing strategies

Communication and engagement

Effective communications are fundamental to any successful change. Delegates will consider:

  • The theory of effective communications
  • The use of different communication channels
  • How to develop a communications plan
  • How to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the communications

Change management in practice

Change impact

Change does not occur in isolation. Change agents will need to manage the relationship between the change journey, business continuity and successfully embedding the change. Delegates will be shown:

  • Tools that help assess the wider impacts of the change and so ensure a comprehensive change management plan is developed


Change readiness, planning and measurement

Even if an organisation is effective today, change is likely to be heading its way. Successful organisations start planning for change long before it becomes a necessity. Delegates will learn how to:

  • Build motivation to change
  • Build organisational readiness for change
  • Prepare for resistance

Personal and professional management

One individual is unlikely to be able to undertake all the activities to support successful change. Typically teams will be involved in supporting and shaping the change. Delegates will consider how to:

  • Develop effective teams to help manage change


Project management: change initiatives, projects and programmes (practitioner level material)

Change agents will need to decide on the delivery mechanisms for change. Delegates will consider:

  • What governance structures to put in place
  • How different project management methodologies might impact on the management of change

Facilitation (practitioner level material)

Change agents will frequently be helping others to 'find answers' to difficult business problems. Delegates will consider:

  • Approaches to running larger workshops (The use of a World cafe or Open Space Technology)


Sustaining change (practitioner level material)

After all the hard work how can we ensure that the change 'sticks'. Delegates will consider:

  • What design factors help ensure that the change is permanently embedded within the organisation


Change Management Examinations

The Foundation examination is:

  • Externally accredited by the APMG
  • 40 minutes
  • Closed book
  • Multiple-choice (with 50 questions and a pass mark of 25/50)

The Foundation examination is taken on the afternoon of day 3 of the course.

The Practitioner examination is:

  • Externally accredited by the APMG
  • 2.5 hours
  • Partial open book (The Effective Change Manager Handbook may be used)
  • Objective text i.e. complex multiple-choice
  • Covers 4 syllabus areas including the Foundation level material
  • 80 marks available and a 40/80 pass mark

The Practitioner examination is taken on the afternoon of day 5 of the course.

Delegates will be provided with sample examination papers so they can check their understanding of the course material and prepare for the examinations.


Related Training Courses

  • PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner (Project management to build capability to support change)
  • Managing Successful Programmes (Planning capability delivery while integrating the change management work)
Read more

Why choose QA

Special Notices

Please note: Due to the current situation with Covid 19 the APMG are enabling your exam to be taken virtually. Your exam will therefore be scheduled for the same day and time as it would for a classroom event. QA’s exam administration team will place the booking with APMG. APMG will then email delegates directly confirming the details of the exam session and provide the relevant information the delegates will require in order to access their exam on the day.

Dates & Locations

Project Management learning paths

Want to boost your career in project management? Click on the roles below to see QA's learning pathways, specially designed to give you the skills to succeed.

Required Star = Required
Certification = Certification
Project Team Member (APM)
Project Team Member (PMI)
Project Manager (APM)
Project Manager (PMI)
Programme Manager
Change Manager
PMO
Risk Professionals
Portfolio Manager

Frequently asked questions

See all of our FAQs

How can I create an account on myQA.com?

There are a number of ways to create an account. If you are a self-funder, simply select the "Create account" option on the login page.

If you have been booked onto a course by your company, you will receive a confirmation email. From this email, select "Sign into myQA" and you will be taken to the "Create account" page. Complete all of the details and select "Create account".

If you have the booking number you can also go here and select the "I have a booking number" option. Enter the booking reference and your surname. If the details match, you will be taken to the "Create account" page from where you can enter your details and confirm your account.

Find more answers to frequently asked questions in our FAQs: Bookings & Cancellations page.

How do QA’s virtual classroom courses work?

Our virtual classroom courses allow you to access award-winning classroom training, without leaving your home or office. Our learning professionals are specially trained on how to interact with remote attendees and our remote labs ensure all participants can take part in hands-on exercises wherever they are.

We use the WebEx video conferencing platform by Cisco. Before you book, check that you meet the WebEx system requirements and run a test meeting (more details in the link below) to ensure the software is compatible with your firewall settings. If it doesn’t work, try adjusting your settings or contact your IT department about permitting the website.

Learn more about our Virtual Classrooms.

How do QA’s online courses work?

QA online courses, also commonly known as distance learning courses or elearning courses, take the form of interactive software designed for individual learning, but you will also have access to full support from our subject-matter experts for the duration of your course. When you book a QA online learning course you will receive immediate access to it through our e-learning platform and you can start to learn straight away, from any compatible device. Access to the online learning platform is valid for one year from the booking date.

All courses are built around case studies and presented in an engaging format, which includes storytelling elements, video, audio and humour. Every case study is supported by sample documents and a collection of Knowledge Nuggets that provide more in-depth detail on the wider processes.

Learn more about QA’s online courses.

When will I receive my joining instructions?

Joining instructions for QA courses are sent two weeks prior to the course start date, or immediately if the booking is confirmed within this timeframe. For course bookings made via QA but delivered by a third-party supplier, joining instructions are sent to attendees prior to the training course, but timescales vary depending on each supplier’s terms. Read more FAQs.

When will I receive my certificate?

Certificates of Achievement are issued at the end the course, either as a hard copy or via email. Read more here.

Contact Us

Please contact us for more information