OCM: Preparing for Change

This Accelerator provides Impact customers with structured coaching and proven frameworks to build change readiness and ensure successful user adoption ahead of go-live during ServiceNow transformations.

Accelerator Overview

OCM: Preparing for Change helps customers answer the question every transformation leader dreads: "Are our people ready?" through five structured phases. CSEs guide customers to assess readiness, engage stakeholders, build communication plans, activate champions, and establish a readiness baseline — so adoption barriers are addressed before they become adoption failures. Customers own the work while the CSEs facilitate the transformation support with appropriate frameworks and expertise.

Package Availability

Note:

This Accelerator is available for Impact Guided+ (Strategic Value add-on), Advanced and Total Packages.

What You Get

Includes the following CSE-led sessions and activities, as applicable (up to 1.5 hours each)

Kickoff Session

• Set expectations on the process and depth of deliverables
• Confirm participant roles and establish the foundation for the engagement

Organizational Readiness Assessment & Success Criteria

• An 11-question diagnostic of your organization's change readiness — covering leadership alignment, communication maturity, prior change experience, and resource availability
• Identify risk areas and prioritize focus preparation where it matters most
• Define Change vision with measurable success criteria and name KPI owners

Executive Sponsor Activation

• Sponsor role defined with specific, visible commitments tied to each phase of the change
• Sponsorship roadmap built with high-impact activities that signal commitment and remove barriers

Stakeholder Mapping & Analysis

• Stakeholders identified and mapped by impact level, influence, and anticipated response to change
• Tailored engagement strategies defined for each stakeholder group
• Key stakeholders interviewed to surface concerns, resistance, and WIIFM opportunities

OCM Readiness Baseline

• Baseline survey distributed to measure current Awareness and Desire levels across impacted groups
• Results analyzed by stakeholder group to identify readiness gaps and target messaging priorities

Communication & Engagement Planning

• 8-week communication plan with channels, cadence, and owners defined for each audience
• WIIFM messaging crafted for each stakeholder group, addressing concerns before they become resistance

Champion Network Design & Launch Readiness

• Champion network designed with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and a recognition plan
• Recruitment strategy built to identify and onboard champions ahead of go-live
• Kickoff event planned with agenda, confirmed sponsor role, and finalized logistics

Communications Launch & Kickoff Event

• Executive sponsor announcement with communications on department-specific benefits and advantages.
• Kickoff event delivered with champions introduced and feedback collected

Champion Activation & Feedback Collection

• Champions deployed into peer groups with tools and guidance to reinforce awareness
• Early feedback collected, themes identified, and quick wins celebrated

Engagement Tracking & OCM Readiness Follow-Up

• Communication reach, event attendance, and champion activity tracked against plan
• OCM Readiness follow-up survey conducted and compared to baseline to measure Awareness and Desire improvement

Accelerator Close & Handoff

• Change readiness outcomes documented and reviewed with your team
• Findings and recommendations handed off to inform Managing the Change (Accelerator 2)

Output(s)

A comprehensive Change Readiness Playbook, including:

• Organizational readiness assessment with risk analysis
• Change vision with success criteria and KPI owners
• Stakeholder map with engagement strategies
• Executive sponsor activation plan
• 8-week communication plan with WIIFM messaging
• Champion network design and recruitment strategy
• Kickoff event plan
• Engagement tracking results
• OCM Readiness assessment baseline

Requested Customer Resources

Table 1. Customer resource and responsibilities

Customer Resource	Responsibilities	Required	Recommended
Platform Owner	Responsible for the overall accountability of the ServiceNow platform. Provide leadership and oversight to the System Administrators, ensure team alignment to business strategy and the ServiceNow roadmap, and is actively involved in the overarching governance of the platform.	✓
System Administrator(s)	Responsible for maintaining the stability and usability of the ServiceNow platform by performing application maintenance, managing support for Cases related to ServiceNow applications, and contributing to ServiceNow software releases by delivering configuration tasks and features.	✓
Executive Sponsor	Primary strategic contact for ServiceNow	✓
Communication Lead(s)	Drafts and publishes Customer's internal communications.	✓
Change Lead(s)	Manage Customer's ServiceNow change enablement program.	✓
Trusted Service Partners	Attend ServiceNow Impact Accelerator coaching session(s) to understand leading practices and potentially support customer going forward.		✓

Requested Information / Access

Helpful to Have (If available)

• Organization chart for impacted departments
• Preliminary stakeholder list (key influencers, potential champions, and known resistors)
• History of recent change initiatives (successes and challenges)
• Existing communication channels and corporate communication guidelines
• Current adoption metrics or license utilization data (if expanding existing deployment)
• Business case or value proposition documentation for the ServiceNow initiative

Exclusions

ServiceNow is not responsible for implementing recommendations on Customer’s non-production or production instances.