What is Change Management?
Change Management &
Technology Implementation
Arlene Chemello, CPA
IT Manager, Projects
Linda Willis, CPA
Tax & License Manager
GFOAZ Winter Conference
Prescott, AZ
February 16, 2012
Agenda

What is Change Management?

Why is Change Management Important?

Change Management Tools

TALIS Project

Challenges

Successes

Lessons Learned
What is Change Management?
“It must be considered that there is nothing
more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful
of success nor more dangerous to handle
than to initiate a new order of things.”
– Niccolo Machiavelli
What is Change Management?
True or False?
A Great Solution + Effective Project Management
= Project Success
False
What is Change Management?
What is Change Management?
“Those who believe they can do something and
those who believe they can't are both right.”
–Henry Ford
What is Change Management?

Active, Visible Leadership Buy-in

Communicate

Training
Why is Change Management
Important?
Change Management Tools
CM Tools: Project Charter



People
Business Processes
Technology/Systems
CM Tools:
Communication Plan
CM Tools: Business Process
Documentation
“The first rule of any technology used in a
business is that automation applied to an
efficient operation will magnify the efficiency.
The second is that automation applied to an
inefficient operation will magnify the
inefficiency.”
– Bill Gates
CM Tools: Business Process
Documentation
CM Tools: Training Plan
TALIS Project

Background

Vision

Vendor
Challenges
Challenges: Changes

Priorities

Key Decisions

Scope Creep
Challenges: Scope Creep
Challenges: Scope Creep
Challenges: Scope Creep
Challenges: Scope Creep

Council adopted Fire
Inspection Fees

Steering Committee
directed for new fees to be
tracked in Tax Mantra

Business vs Building
Oriented
Challenges
Team Member Issues




Limited resources
No implementation experience
Potential for “revolt”
Data Migration

Accounting (journal entries)

Reports

E-Tax

Successes
Successes


Cohesive Team
Pre Go – Live


Consolidated/Re-designed forms
Tax Returns

Training
Check21/Scanning

Post Go-Live



Support
Quality control
Lessons Learned

Impact of external forces

Go-Live date selection

Ticklers
Final Thoughts…

Keep Sponsors involved

Partner with IT Department

Project team room

Define escalation process

Simple Change Management Techniques

Project moved to Production support

Conduct Project Retrospective
Conclusion
Contact Information
Arlene Chemello, CPA
IT Manager, Projects
achemello@glendaleaz.com
(623) 930-2908
Linda Willis, CPA
Tax & License Manager
lwillis@glendaleaz.com
(623) 930-2216