4.1 Stage 3, part 1: Leadership, people and process

Once a business case for change has been assembled and approved then the challenge turns to some detailed analysis and design to shape what will be implemented.

This part of the process is about designing the new reality - laying down a path through uncharted territory. We can now see the goal ahead of us, we know the reasons why change is necessary, and the sorts of benefits we are aiming to achieve along the way. Now comes the detail part - deciding what, specifically, should change, and what implementation activities are required to move things along.

To do this, we need to go into considerable detail - beginning with considerations of what can go wrong, followed by detailed analysis of possible options using our chosen 'levers' for change. Lastly we will look at the change programme itself in its entirety - how all the areas of change can be knitted together to deliver the business benefits and changes in behaviour necessary.

Throughout Stage 3 there will need to be 'proof of concept' development activity, alongside more extended pilot projects, to prove the design ideas and check how suitable, acceptable, and feasible they may be. Designing the new reality is, therefore, about getting the right ideas and technologies together into a 'mobilizing knowledge architecture' that will allow low risk, high benefit, and practical changes to be agreed and implemented.