change-impact-analysis

name	change-impact-analysis
description	Use when implementing process, system, organization, policy, or operating-model changes. Use when applying the Change Impact Analysis consulting method and when a user asks for Change Impact Analysis, method execution, structured diagnosis, or action planning.
license	Apache-2.0

Change Impact Analysis

Use this skill to run Change Impact Analysis as a practical consulting method, not as a generic framework explanation.

Method Notes

• Describe current-to-future behavior changes by affected group.
• Assess impact severity, readiness, capability gap, and resistance.

Required Inputs

Collect or infer these inputs before execution:

• change description
• affected groups
• current vs future process
• adoption constraints

If an input is missing, do not block automatically. Mark it as missing, state the assumption used, and add a validation action.

When Not To Use

Do not use before the proposed change, affected groups, processes, systems, locations, and timing are defined. It identifies what must adapt; it does not replace a delivery plan or risk assessment.

Adjacent Methods

• force-field-analysis: compare forces supporting and resisting a defined change.
• raci-matrix: assign responsibility after the work and decisions are clear.
• communications-plan: design audience messages, channels, cadence, and feedback.

Step-by-Step Execution

Step	Required input	How to execute	Output
Define change	Current state, future state, go-live date.	State what will change in work, decisions, tools, or incentives.	Change definition.
Identify affected groups	Teams, roles, customers, partners, stakeholders.	List who is affected and how.	Affected group map.
Assess impact	Current/future workflows, workload, capability, readiness.	Rate impact severity, readiness, resistance, and capability gap.	Impact assessment.
Design support	Impact assessment.	Define communication, training, sponsor, process, system, or policy support.	Adoption support plan.
Plan rollout controls	Support plan, timing, risks.	Set owner, cadence, feedback loop, and escalation path.	Change rollout plan.

Output Template

### 1. Change Definition
What changes:
What stays the same:
Decision owner:
Rollout horizon:

### 2. Impact And Readiness
| Group / role | Process / tool / behavior impact | Severity | Readiness evidence | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |  |

### 3. Support Plan
| Need | Intervention | Owner | Timing | Adoption signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |  |

### 4. Rollout Controls
| Gate | Trigger | Decision | Escalation path |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |

### Evidence And Next Decision
- Confirmed facts:
- Assumptions:
- Missing evidence:
- Next action, owner, and timing:
- Expected signal and decision threshold:

Quality Gate

• Produce the method-specific outputs for Change Definition, Impact And Readiness, Support Plan; do not substitute a generic framework summary.
• Tie every material score, causal claim, or stakeholder judgment to evidence or label it as an assumption.
• Include at least one disconfirming check, sensitivity, alternative explanation, or failure condition appropriate to the method.
• Convert the result into a named action or decision with an owner or stakeholder, timing, and observable signal.
• State missing inputs and the smallest validation action instead of inventing precision.
• Keep wording professional and plain enough that a smart non-specialist can use the output directly.