Change Impact Summary Template – Free Word Download
Introduction to the Change Impact Summary
While the Organizational Impact Assessment (Template 38) is the deep-dive diagnostic tool used to measure and score the severity of change, the Change Impact Summary is the operational output of that analysis. It is the bridge between analysis and action.
The Assessment (Template 38) tells you that “The Sales Team is a Red Zone.” The Change Impact Summary tells you exactly what to do about it. It translates the raw scores into specific, actionable descriptions of the “Current State vs. Future State” and defines the precise interventions required for Training, Communication, and Business Readiness. Enjoy this Change Impact Summary Template – Free Word Download
This document is essential for the “Change Management Team” (or the Project Manager wearing that hat). It serves as the primary source of truth for creating training materials and communication drafts. When a detailed instructional designer asks, “What exactly do I need to teach these people?”, you hand them this document. When the Internal Comms lead asks, “What are the key talking points for the newsletter?”, they look here.
This template focuses on the “Delta”—the specific gap between how things are done today and how they will be done tomorrow. It categorizes these gaps by stakeholder group and provides a clear summary of the functional, technical, and cultural shifts required. By completing this summary, you ensure that your change management efforts are targeted, relevant, and effective, rather than generic “feel-good” communications that fail to address the actual pain points of the users.
Part 1: Change Profile and Governance
This section sets the stage by defining the magnitude and nature of the change at a high level. It helps executive stakeholders understand the aggregate disruption the project will cause.
Initiative Overview
Instructions:
Provide the basic context.
- Project Name: [Insert Name]
- Change Lead: [Name of person managing the people side of change]
- Phase: [e.g., Planning / Deployment / Post-Go-Live]
- Go-Live Date: [DD-MM-YYYY]
Change Characteristics (The “T-Shirt Size”)
Instructions:
Classify the change to determine the level of support needed.
- Scale: [Global / Regional / Departmental]
- Type: [Process / Technology / Restructuring / Culture]
- Disruption Level: [High / Medium / Low]
- Definition of High: Fundamental shift in identity or job role; significant layoffs or restructuring.
- Definition of Low: Minor tweak to existing tool; no change to job role.
Executive Summary Statement:
“This initiative represents a High Disruption change for the Finance Department due to the automation of the reconciliation process, which effectively eliminates manual data entry roles. Conversely, it is a Low Disruption change for the Sales Department, who will only experience a minor interface update to the CRM.”
Part 2: Aggregate Impact Dashboard
This section provides a visual or tabular “Heat Map” summary. It allows the Steering Committee to see at a glance where the “trouble spots” are.
Instructions:
Summarize the findings from your detailed assessment. Group stakeholders by their “Impact Level.”
Table: Stakeholder Impact Heat Map
| Stakeholder Group | Headcount | Impact Level | Primary Driver of Impact |
| Finance Clerks | 15 | Critical | Job Role Elimination / Automation |
| Finance Managers | 4 | High | New Reporting Tools / Team Restructuring |
| IT Support | 10 | Medium | Support Ticket Volume Spike (Forecasted) |
| General Staff | 200 | Low | informational Awareness Only |
Analysis:
“Resources should be disproportionately allocated to the Finance Clerks. 80% of the Change Management budget should be spent on this group (Reskilling/Severance support), while ‘General Staff’ requires only email communication.”
Part 3: Detailed Change Impacts (The “Delta” Analysis)
This is the core of the document. For each “High Impact” group, you must detail exactly what is changing. This is often called the “From/To” analysis.
Group 1: Finance Clerks (Critical Impact)
Instructions:
Be specific. Avoid vague corporate speak like “Optimized workflow.” Say “Stopped using Excel.”
Table: From/To Analysis – Finance Clerks
| Dimension | From (Current State) | To (Future State) | The “Delta” (The Gap) |
| Process | Manually downloads CSV files from the bank and types them into Excel. | System auto-downloads and reconciles transactions overnight. | Stop: Manual Data Entry. Start: Reviewing exception logs. |
| Technology | Excel 2016 and Legacy Mainframe (Green Screen). | Cloud-based ERP Dashboard (Web Browser). | Need to learn browser navigation, filtering, and “Drill-down” functions. |
| Tools | Physical calculator and paper ledger. | Dual-monitor setup with digital validation. | Loss of physical “paper trail” comfort factor. |
| Mindset | “I am valued for my typing speed and accuracy.” | “I am valued for my ability to spot fraud and errors.” | Shift from “Doer” to “Analyst.” |
Key Pain Point:
“Fear of obsolescence. The clerks are worried that the automation will make them redundant (which is partially true). This anxiety is the primary blocker to adoption.”
Group 2: Finance Managers (High Impact)
Table: From/To Analysis – Finance Managers
| Dimension | From (Current State) | To (Future State) | The “Delta” (The Gap) |
| Reporting | Wait until Day 10 of the month to see the P&L report. | Real-time P&L visibility 24/7. | Stop: Monthly reactive panic. Start: Daily proactive management. |
| Management | Manage a team of 15 Clerks focused on entry. | Manage a team of 8 Analysts focused on quality. | Need to learn how to manage higher-skilled workers; need to manage the “survivor guilt” of the team. |
Key Pain Point:
“Loss of the ‘buffer.’ Previously, managers could blame the ‘slow system’ for late reports. Now, with real-time data, there are no excuses for delayed decision-making.”
Part 4: Training Needs Summary
Based on the “Deltas” identified above, what do we need to teach them? This feeds the Training Plan.
Instructions:
Translate impacts into curriculum topics.
Table: Required Training Interventions
| Audience | Topic / Module | Method | Duration | Timing |
| Finance Clerks | ERP Navigation Basics | Classroom (Hands-on) | 4 Hours | 2 Weeks pre-launch |
| Finance Clerks | Exception Handling Logic | Workshop / Scenarios | 4 Hours | 1 Week pre-launch |
| Finance Managers | Dashboard Interpretation | 1-on-1 Coaching | 1 Hour | 1 Week pre-launch |
| All Staff | New Expense Policy | eLearning Video | 15 Mins | Launch Day |
Strategic Note:
“We have identified a gap in basic computer literacy for some of the senior clerks. A ‘Computer Basics’ pre-requisite course is recommended before the ERP training begins.”
Part 5: Communication Needs Summary
What do we need to tell them, and when? This feeds the Communications Plan.
Instructions:
Define the key messages for each phase.
Phase 1: Awareness (3 Months Out)
- Audience: All Finance Staff.
- Message: “The Change is coming. Here is why (The Business Case). Here is the timeline.”
- Sender: CFO (Sponsor).
- Channel: Town Hall Meeting.
Phase 2: Understanding (1 Month Out)
- Audience: Finance Clerks.
- Message: “Here is exactly how your job changes. Here is the training schedule. Here is the support plan.”
- Sender: Finance Director (Direct Manager).
- Channel: Team Meeting + FAQ Document.
Phase 3: Action (Go-Live)
- Audience: All Users.
- Message: “The system is live. Click here to log in. Call this number for help.”
- Sender: Project Manager.
- Channel: Email + Desk Drop (Flyer).
Part 6: Business Readiness Criteria
How will we know if the business is ready to accept the change? These are the “Go / No-Go” criteria for the people side.
Instructions:
Define specific metrics that must be met before you flip the switch.
Table: People Readiness Checklist
| Category | Metric / Criteria | Owner | Target |
| Training | % of Finance Clerks who completed the training course. | Training Lead | > 95% |
| Competency | % of Finance Clerks who passed the final assessment test. | Training Lead | > 90% |
| Access | % of users who have successfully logged in during the test window. | IT Security | 100% |
| Communication | “Awareness” survey score. | Comms Lead | > 80% Positive |
Decision Rule:
“If the Training Completion rate is below 95% on the Friday before Go-Live, the deployment will be postponed.”
Part 7: Resistance Management Plan
What specific resistance behaviors do we expect, and how will we handle them?
Instructions:
Be realistic about the pushback.
Scenario 1: The “Paper Hoarders”
- Behavior: Clerks continue to print reports and do manual reconciliation “just in case” the system is wrong.
- Impact: Duplication of effort; data remains offline.
- Mitigation:
- Hard Stop: Remove printers from the finance area for the first month (drastic but effective).
- Safety Net: Run parallel for 2 weeks to prove the system works, then formally shut down the legacy access.
Scenario 2: The “Silent Vetos”
- Behavior: Managers nod in meetings but do not encourage their teams to attend training.
- Impact: Low training attendance; chaos at Go-Live.
- Mitigation: Publish a “Training Attendance Dashboard” to the CFO weekly. Publicly shame (or encourage) managers based on their team’s participation.
Part 8: Post-Go-Live Reinforcement
Change Management does not end on launch day. How will we make the change stick?
Instructions:
Plan the “Sustainment” phase.
- Floor Walkers: “For the first 3 days, 2 Super Users will walk the floor to answer questions immediately.”
- Daily Stand-ups: “For the first 2 weeks, a 15-minute start-of-day meeting will be held to address yesterday’s issues.”
- Success Stories: “In the first month newsletter, highlight the ‘User of the Month’ who processed the most transactions effortlessly.”
Part 9: Approval and Sign-off
The business owner must agree to this summary. By signing, they acknowledge the disruption and the plan to manage it.
Signature Block
- Change Manager: Certifies the plan is sufficient to drive adoption.
- Project Sponsor: Acknowledges the resource time required for training.
- Business Owner (Impacted Dept): Agrees to release staff for the training sessions.
Part 10: Step-by-Step Guide for Creating the Summary
Step 1: Review the OIA (Template 38)
Start with the data. Look at the Heat Map from the previous template. Identify the “Red” groups. These are the only ones that need a detailed “From/To” table in this summary.
Step 2: Define the “Delta”
This is the hardest part. You must be precise.
- Bad: “Process improved.”
- Good: “Step 3 is removed. Step 4 is automated.”Interview the Business Analyst (BA) if you aren’t sure. The BA knows the exact workflow differences.
Step 3: Cluster the Impacts
Group similar impacts together. If 5 different roles all lose “Access to Legacy Data,” you can create one communication plan for that topic.
Step 4: Draft the “WIIFM” (What’s In It For Me)
For every impact, ask “Why should they care?”
- Impact: “You have to learn a new screen.”
- WIIFM: “This screen loads in 2 seconds instead of 20, saving you frustration.”If you can’t find a WIIFM, you have a high resistance risk.
Step 5: Validate with “Super Users”
Show your “From/To” table to a trusted user. Ask: “Is this accurate? Is this really how you work today?” Often, Project Managers assume the Current State is what’s in the manual, but the reality is very different.
Step 6: Set the Readiness Targets
Be bold with your metrics. Don’t just track “Training Attendance” (butts in seats). Track “Competency” (pass/fail). It is better to delay the project than to launch to an untrained workforce.
Part 11: Glossary of Change Terms
- Delta: The difference between the current state and the future state.
- Change Agent: An individual who promotes and supports the change within their team.
- Sustainment: The period after the project closes where the change is embedded into culture.
- Flight Risk: The risk that key employees will quit due to the stress of the change.
- Job Impact Analysis (JIA): A specific HR document detailing changes to job descriptions and compensation.
Conclusion
The Change Impact Summary is the roadmap for the human side of the project. It respects the fact that projects are done by people and for people.
By clearly articulating the specific shifts in process, technology, and role, you take the fear out of the unknown. You turn a vague, scary “Transformation” into a series of manageable, learnable steps. This document empowers the training team to build the right content, the comms team to write the right messages, and the managers to lead their teams through the transition with confidence.
Final Checklist for this Template:
- Is the “From/To” analysis specific and granular?
- Have you covered all “High Impact” stakeholder groups?
- Are the Training Needs directly linked to the identified gaps?
- Are the Readiness Criteria measurable (quantifiable metrics)?
- Is the Resistance Management plan realistic?
- Has the Business Owner signed off on the disruption?
Meta Description:
A template for a Change Impact Summary. Learn to define the “From/To” state, plan training interventions, and establish business readiness criteria for successful project adoption.
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