5 Organizational Change Management Tips for Successful ServiceNow Implementations

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The ‘People’ element – The most undervalued workstream in ServiceNow implementations. It’s easy to see why. Implementation teams are typically built of technology experts and reduce ‘Organizational Change Management’ (OCM) to just ‘Training’, leaving this crucial dimension neglected until the deployment phase.

From my experience, weaving in OCM activities from the start of your project can work wonders. Imagine having stakeholders who are not only more engaged but also more forgiving of those inevitable technical bumps in the road. This is the magic of a well-orchestrated OCM strategy: a better implementation all around.

Here are my five top tips for infusing OCM into your ServiceNow journey (regardless of the product in question).

Map Out Your Stakeholders and Understand Their Impact

• Start with a Communications Plan: But let's not stop there. Think broader. Who needs to be involved in providing requirements? Who’s at the coalface using this new system and needs training? Engaging stakeholders from the outset ensures no one’s left feeling blindsided and reduces the chance of late-breaking requirements surfacing around deployment time!

Engage and Enable Leaders to Champion the Initiative

• Avoid Competing Priorities: One common pitfall is staff being swamped with BAU (business-as-usual) tasks and other competing projects. Work closely with leaders to avoid scheduling conflicts. Equip them with talking points to help communicate the value of the project. Their endorsement can be the key to getting everyone on board.

Bring Your Stakeholders Along on the Journey

• Regular Updates: Everyone likes to be heard and feel valued! Share regular updates, hold periodic demos, and build excitement. Not every opinion will be gold, but early engagement helps pinpoint niche needs that might otherwise derail the project later.

Create Role-Based Training Using Multiple Channels

• Think Like a Learner: Tailor training to each role, focusing on what’s relevant to them. Compare and contrast their new target state with current processes. Use a mix of methods – whether it’s videos, interactive sessions, or hands-on workshops – to cater to different learning styles.

Provide Enhanced Support After Go-Live

• Solid Support Structures: As you roll out, provide clear end-user communications and training sessions. Empower a group of ‘Champions’ – those power-users who become a first line of support. Also, consider setting up ‘office hours’ during the first week post-launch where users can drop in for help.

Every organization and project is unique, so pick and choose the elements most valuable to your situation. Dont forget to take advantage of the assets that ServiceNow provides as part of 'NowCreate'. What’s worked best for you? I'm keen to hear your wisdom - Let's make ServiceNow implementations smoother for everyone!