SIG Templates & Toolkits
The Communications
and Change Kit
Three free templates for helping people through a change: who it affects, what they need to hear, and how you’ll know they’re ready. Use them for a system rollout, a reorganization, a new process or any program that changes how people work.
Why It Matters
Delivered isn’t the same as adopted.
A program can hit every date and still miss its value if people don’t understand the change, don’t know what it means for them, or aren’t ready on go-live day. That’s usually not a technology problem. It’s a planning problem.
This kit gives your program a simple way to see who the change affects, plan what each group hears and when, and check readiness with evidence before you make the Go/No-Go call.
What’s Inside
Three templates, one change plan.
Each template stands on its own, and they’re built to work together.
Excel
Stakeholder and Change Impact Tracker
Why it helps. Shows every group the change touches, how big the impact is and how ready they are, so you put support where it matters most.
What’s inside
- Change impact log by group and change area, rated for impact and readiness
- Automatic At Risk flag when impact is high and readiness is low
- Stakeholder map with influence, impact and engagement plan
- Readiness summary by group that calculates for you
Excel
Change Communication Plan
Why it helps. Plans who hears what, from whom and when, so messages land in the right order and nobody hears about the change secondhand.
What’s inside
- Audience analysis with what each group cares about
- Key message library, written and approved once
- Communication calendar preloaded with a typical sequence
- Feedback log so questions get answered and shared back
Excel
Training and Readiness Plan
Why it helps. Prepares people for the change and confirms they are ready with evidence, not gut feel, before every go-live.
What’s inside
- Training needs by role, with format and owner
- Training schedule with attendance tracking
- Go-live readiness checklist across people, process, technology and support
- Readiness scorecard with a Ready or Not ready recommendation
How the Pieces Fit
Use them in this order.
Map the impact
List every group the change touches and rate how much it changes their work.
Plan the messages
Agree on the key messages and schedule who hears what, from whom, and when.
Prepare people
Plan training by role, run the sessions and track who has attended.
Confirm readiness
Work the go-live checklist and bring the readiness scorecard to the Go/No-Go meeting.
Pairs Well With
Other free SIG resources.
These guides and templates fit naturally alongside the kit.
- Program Management Toolkit: the governance charter, RACI, RAID log and backlog that the change plan plugs into.
- SIPOC Workshop: find every group your change touches before you rate the impact.
- Strategic Themes Workshop: get clear on the why, which becomes your first key message.
- Lean Coffee Workshop: run open listening sessions that feed the feedback log.
Common Questions
Before you download.
What kinds of changes does this fit?
Anything that changes how people work: a new system or tool, a new process, a reorganization, a policy change or a large program with several releases. Rename the preloaded items to match your change and delete what doesn’t apply.
Do I need a change management certification to use it?
No. The templates are written for program managers, product owners and team leads who are responsible for a change but don’t have a dedicated change team.
How does this fit with the Program Management Toolkit?
The Program Management Toolkit runs the program. This kit runs the people side of it. Log At Risk groups from the impact tracker in your RAID log, and use the readiness scorecard in your Go/No-Go decision.
Is it free?
Yes. There’s no form and no account. Just download what you need.
Need help leading
the people side of change?
SIG can facilitate impact and readiness workshops, coach your leaders and managers, or embed a fractional program leader to run the change with you.