Every portal imposes change on an organization and its people – and the most impactful portals pose significant change. This is why, at LDS, we refer to portals and web channels as "channels of change" for our clients' businesses. In some of our most innovative and impactful portal and web solutions, it is the online channel that is creating or enabling serious business transformation strategies to be realized. The degree and impact of change, then, can vary from program to program and enterprise to enterprise, but the concept that good portals create business change is an important and basic concept worth embracing, even exploiting.

As with all important change initiatives, we can suggest that a thoughtful and well-design Communications and Change Management Plan will dramatically affect the early and sustainable adoption of the channel by your users (inside and outside the business). More than just adoption, though, we can suggest that a thoughtful change plan looks to encourage aligned behaviors and work practices by users that maximize the value of the portal, now and over time. The launch of Web 2.0 tools and capabilities is a good example of the need to encourage both appropriate and optimal use of these tools in order to maximize their value return to knowledge workers, communities of practices, and the business at-large.

So, the question is not whether Communications and Change Management will be required to optimize adoption and use of your portal. It's more likely a question of what approach to these makes the most sense for your business and for your people.

Value

LDS Communications and Change Management Planning and Design Services bring our clients an end-to-end solution. From early strategy through design and implementation, we anticipate, plan, design and launch a change management program that is based on client needs and our LDS best practices. It reflects our philosophy that true change needs to manage the cycle from awareness, through motivation, until the solution is fully integrated into the daily work practices and behaviors of people.

Deliverables

In providing this service, LDS partners with our clients’ communications, training, and governance teams – as an integral member and advisor – and we typically deliver:

• Communications and Change Management Plan
• Communications and Change Management Designs, including targeted email campaigns, Blogs and other prelaunch, on- and off-line communications, print campaigns and teaser/advertising
• Brand, Design and Editorial Standards that establish visual and editorial tone and style standards, to be used by authors and designers in creating the communication/learning, materials, thereby ensuring consistency in promotion, messaging, and art/design direction
• End-User Training Plan, including detailed plan and approaches for delivering and measuring the effectiveness of portal-related training
• Courseware, as required, to support the specific requirements of the End-User Training Plan.

Further Information

Please contact John Fee, LDS Vice President, Sales for more information.