Applying ADKAR Across IS / IT Project Stages: Discovery, Delivery, and Post-Go-Live

In any change initiative, each project stage requires tailored approaches to effectively manage the human side of change. The ADKAR framework — Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement — provides a structured yet adaptable method to address challenges and opportunities inherent in the Discovery, Delivery, and Post-Go-Live phases. This article explores how ADKAR supports people-centric transformations while highlighting its strengths, challenges, and limitations.

Theoretical Context

Traditional change management methodologies, such as Lewin’s Change Model and Kotter’s 8-Step Process, focus on organisational and systemic processes. Lewin’s model emphasises unfreezing, transitioning, and refreezing, while Kotter offers a step-by-step roadmap for large-scale transformations. In contrast, ADKAR prioritises individuals, making it particularly suitable for modern, people-centric approaches by ensuring employees are prepared, supported, and empowered throughout the change process.

Unlike methodologies like Kotter’s, ADKAR is a framework. While methodologies prescribe detailed processes, frameworks provide a conceptual structure for guiding understanding and application. ADKAR’s emphasis on individuals’ emotional and cognitive journeys offers deeper insights into readiness and resistance — elements often overlooked in systemic models. This individual-centric focus supports immediate success and sustains long-term change.

From a technical perspective, change initiatives often involve requirements, specifications, and implementation. In contrast, the people side focuses on outcomes, sustainment, and realisation. While project management delivers technical solutions, change management ensures their adoption and engagement. ADKAR bridges these dimensions, fostering holistic change.

Discovery Stage: Building Awareness and Desire

The Discovery stage sets the foundation by defining problems, setting objectives, and engaging stakeholders. It focuses on creating awareness of the need for change and fostering a desire to support it.

Adopted from Prosci

Awareness

• What to Do: Clearly communicate the project’s purpose and benefits, using data and real-world examples to highlight risks of maintaining the status quo.
• How to Apply: Facilitate stakeholder workshops to align on pain points and project goals. Use compelling narratives to connect the initiative to organisational success.
• Example: During CRM upgrade workshops, customer churn metrics from outdated systems were presented using the 4Ps framework (Project purpose, people, particulars, process), linking the change to tangible business outcomes. Learn more about the 4Ps exercise.

Desire

• What to Do: Build stakeholder buy-in by understanding the change’s impact on processes, systems, and tools.
• How to Apply: Conduct sessions with key stakeholders to explore perspectives. You can use the 10 Aspects of Change framework to illustrate shifts from “yesterday” to “tomorrow.” Learn more about the 10 Aspects of Change Management.
• Challenges: Resistance due to cultural inertia or organisational silos may hinder progress. Targeted communication and change champions can address these barriers.

Delivery Stage: Fostering Knowledge and Ability

The Delivery stage focuses on designing, building, and testing the solution. Here, the emphasis shifts to equipping people with the knowledge and ability to adopt the change.

Knowledge

• What to Do: Provide role-specific training tailored to expertise levels. Embed training within platforms used by the delivery team, such as Jira.
• How to Apply: Develop interactive training modules simulating real-world scenarios. Conduct Q&A sessions to address knowledge gaps.
• Example: Department-specific training videos in a digital transformation ensured employees understood how changes impacted their daily tasks.

Ability

• What to Do: Create opportunities for hands-on practice in safe environments. Address confidence gaps through peer trainers.
• How to Apply: Run pilot programs or sandbox environments to test the system without real-world consequences. Provide feedback through drop-in sessions.
• Challenges: Knowledge decay and low engagement during extended rollouts are risks. Gamification and peer-based learning can help sustain momentum.

Post-Go-Live Stage: Ensuring Reinforcement

The Post-Go-Live stage embeds change within the organisation. Reinforcement ensures employees do not revert to old habits and that benefits are sustained.

Reinforcement

• What to Do: Monitor adoption rates and gather feedback to address challenges. Celebrate early successes and recognise employees embracing the change.
• How to Apply: Use metrics to track system usage and performance improvements. Establish a feedback loop through surveys, focus groups, or check-ins.
• Example: After implementing a new collaboration tool, milestones like the first project completed using the system were celebrated. Feedback sessions ensured ongoing improvement.
• Challenges: Complacency after initial success can lead to regression. Continuous monitoring and reinforcement strategies are critical for long-term success.

Limitations and Future Implications

While ADKAR is a robust framework, its focus on individual readiness may not fully address systemic organisational resistance or complexities in large, overlapping initiatives. Integrating ADKAR with broader change management methodologies can provide a more comprehensive approach by combining individual and systemic strategies.

Emerging trends such as AI advancements (https://www.prosci.com/ai-change-management) and data-driven decision-making offer opportunities to expand ADKAR’s applicability. These trends enhance its relevance in dynamic organisational landscapes.

Ultimately, digital transformations succeed not because of the technology itself but due to the people who embrace and use it effectively. ADKAR’s structured yet adaptable framework ensures no stage of the journey is overlooked, driving sustainable, people-centric change and fostering long-term transformation.