PMI has done a great job in getting people to see the first things one needs to do to have successful projects - but success sometimes looks at only the technical aspects. That’s only the first part of success. The important second step is the change management that is the key to getting acceptance and efficient use of new systems and processes. Many project managers get their team to hit all the milestones in the plan, but the project isn't a success because the wider world of the enterprise isn't ready for the change. This presentation shows the key items that go into making successful changes in the real world where real people resist and fear change.

Rather than have project managers blamed for implementation failures beyond the project scope, using good change management techniques gives the rest of the company (beyond the project team) some tasks to make the project truly succeed when it is completed. The concepts of project planning and control can only take one so far. Successful system changes are not about the technology; they are about the people.

Change management is not the icing on the cake. Without preparing all the affected people for the new, the old ways will continue - and with resistance, inefficiency and waste. This presentation shows the concepts through which Project Managers can help the wider enterprise be ready for the new systems coming their way.

This PowerPoint™ presentation, Avoiding A "Successful" Project Failure, was delivered at the September 1, 2004 meeting of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Project Mangement Institute.