Challenges of managing change in architectural projects advice, Construction work flow guide, Property build tips
Challenges Of Managing Change In Architectural Projects
12 July 2021
Change management is the name given to shifting from one state to another through structured or standardised methods and procedures. IT architects are charged with mapping this transition, so they require a deep understanding of the importance of designing and utilising change management techniques to make it happen.
Architectural change management will move the architecture into production to reach the targeted business value. It will also monitor and manage changes as it moves through to production. The most critical skill of a successful architect is being able to move the process from planning to value, both on time and budget, without omissions or errors.
Common Challenges Of Managing Change in Construction
Challenges stem from the fact that historically, architecture has been isolated from other IT management disciplines and there has been little alignment between architectural and operational methodologies. With both fields claiming varying degrees of ownership and showing little alignment on roles, responsibilities and process, it can be difficult for the architect to become involved in a contributory capacity to the actual change management process.
A change management team may welcome architectural involvement. However, they will likely expect and demand alignment to existing change management processes. For this reason, we would strongly recommend that IT architects gain an understanding of the rigours of change management models and using skills such as:
- Building architectures with an understanding of change management to reduce friction during rollout.
- Understand how the process works within the organisation and how it may impact your architecture.
- Communicate impacts, priorities and dependencies accurately in ways that guide through the change management process. Ensure change requests meet the principles and goals of the architectural design.
- Manage changes that may impact multiple aspects of the architecture, from scheduling to risk management and impacts to other changes.
- Ensure effective engagement with operational and change management teams to minimise challenges and maximise architectural decision-making opportunities.
Overcoming The Challenges
- IT architects should be involved at corporate level. They need a comprehensive view of the change, desired outcomes and expected value to plan and represent the need to the change board. In addition, the architect should be the one best positioned to assess the impact and necessary modifications when there are changes to the change management process or competing changes.
- As the stakeholder is likely to engage an architect at the start of the design process, a holistic plan considers the build and operation cycles for quality and value. Therefore, a professional architect must be aware of change management disciplines from initiation to operation and decommission.
- Architects can overcome challenges by successfully communicating the nature and priorities of the change, assessing and addressing impact concerns, and guiding the architectural changes through as part of change control processing.
- Architects must work alongside change consultants to understand the impact of architectural changes on the change management process to ensure delivery on time and budget.
Challenges Of Managing Change In Architecture Conclusion
Conclusions
To be a successful architect requires an awareness of information. In addition they need to understand how it flows between systems within an organisation and how to leverage communication for the value of change and to identify, articulate, and overcome challenges.
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