In a previous article, we highlighted the need for companies to seek support during their transformation. We spoke to Nadège Martinet, a senior Change Management consultant, about her role in leading change within a strategic project at a major watchmaking company.
How is the Change Manager perceived by the project manager, and how do the two roles coexist? Christelle Martin, a senior project manager working on the same project as Nadège, answers questions from Alain Geerts, Head of our Governance & Service Management Service Line.
AG: Christelle, in what context did you work together?
CM: My collaboration with Nadège, in her role as Change Manager, took place as part of a project to migrate a CRM solution to Salesforce. The client, a major player in the luxury watch industry, was preparing for a global ‘big-bang’ launch for over 1,200 users spread across several continents. In such an ambitious context, change management was a key factor for success, just as much as the quality of the solution or adherence to the schedule.
AG: What were your respective responsibilities?
CM: As Project Manager, I was responsible for delivering the project within the defined timeframe, scope and budget. This involved, in particular, coordinating the various stream leaders to define deliverables, draw up the schedule, monitor the progress of the work and adjust priorities where necessary to achieve our objectives.
For her part, Nadège was responsible for ensuring the solution was successfully adopted by users. Her role involved anticipating the impacts of the change, engaging stakeholders and consistently maintaining a user-centred approach.
AG: How would you describe working with the Change Manager on this project?
CM: For us, the success of a project depends above all on a genuine spirit of collaboration. On this project in particular, we wanted to embody the ‘One Team’ value in our day-to-day work. We worked as true partners: each of us had our own area of responsibility, whilst bringing complementary skills and perspectives to the table. This close collaboration enabled us to make consistent decisions, speak with one voice and maintain a shared objective: the success of the project and user buy-in.
AG: Did the division of responsibilities seem clear to you from the outset?
CM: This collaboration can sometimes seem a bit vague from the outside, but in our case, the roles were very clear from the start. Communication and user training naturally fell under Change Management, as did engaging sponsors, key managers and all stakeholders.
One aspect that was less obvious at the outset concerned leading the project team. Traditionally, this responsibility falls to the Project Manager.
However, we quickly realised that it made a lot of sense for Nadège to take on this role. As the project team is the primary ambassador for change, it was essential that they were committed, calm and confident. Thanks to her more neutral perspective and her expertise in people management, she was able to foster an extremely positive atmosphere. For my part, this allowed me to focus fully on the challenges of building and delivering the solution, whilst knowing that the team’s cohesion was in good hands.
AG: In what ways did the Change Manager’s involvement make the project run more smoothly?
CM: Being able to rely on a Change Manager allowed me to devote more energy to the development and deployment of the solution. I was able to focus on delivery commitments, risk management and resolving critical issues, safe in the knowledge that the other aspects of the project were under control.
Her presence also fostered better alignment between the BUILD activities and those related to adoption. Training requirements, communication needs and user preparation were incorporated into our planning at a very early stage. This enabled us to anticipate issues rather than react to them. Having this constant representation of the user’s voice within the team made discussions run more smoothly and ensured decisions were more relevant. I genuinely felt that the final solution would not only be technically sound, but also fully tailored to the needs on the ground.
AG: What advice would you give to a project manager who is being asked to work with a Change Manager for the first time?
CM: My first piece of advice would be to view the Change Manager as a genuine partner in the project, rather than simply someone who steps in at the end to prepare a few communications or training sessions.
Next, involve them right from the project’s initiation phase. Even if their role is still limited at this stage, their contribution is already invaluable. They help to identify stakeholders, understand organisational impacts and take user needs into account. Then involve them to an increasingly greater extent during the planning and execution phases. Incorporating the user’s perspective from the outset helps to embed this aspect throughout the project and prevents it from being addressed only as the go-live date approaches.
Finally, you must be prepared to listen to alternative viewpoints, such as the possibility that the organisation is not ready to adopt the solution at the pace set out in the schedule.
AG: To conclude, what lessons have you learnt from this collaboration?
CM: Having a Change Manager on the project team made a real difference. Firstly, at the launch stage: users were prepared, confident and eager to discover the new solution. Adoption took place much more naturally than on other comparable projects.
Furthermore, the Change Manager’s skills in communication and supporting teams helped to maintain a consistent and transparent message throughout the programme. We avoided both over and unrealistic promises, which strengthened the project team’s trust and credibility.
Finally, I would emphasise that change management does not end at go-live. Feedback, communication initiatives and celebrations following the go-live helped to recognise everyone’s contribution. One year on from this particularly successful launch, the teams have fond memories of this journey; they remain very close-knit and are ready to tackle new challenges together.
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