3.3.3
TAM Change Readiness
The TAM Program change management process should begin with an assessment of the agency’s readiness for TAM. Thinking about how the agency has responded to change in the past, the general awareness of TAM across the agency and many other factors can help inform the process of preparing for and implementing change at the agency.
Change Readiness
Managers may need assistance to help them identify the cultural make-up of their groups, ways to help each individual advance with the asset management program, and tools to help reinforce successes as implementation progresses.
Difference approaches will be needed for different staff, and should be targeted to the right group. Assessing a target group’s needs is important to ensure the right methods are employed. No one approach will be sufficient to overcome resistance with all groups.
Efforts that focus on knowledge, skills and abilities are required for all staff, but will initially be most effective with staff who are open to the change. Approaches that address wariness and resistance are also important to all groups, but may require greater effort for some. Others may also require training to understand why the change is needed.
The Assessing an Organization’s Change Readiness Checklist provides a way to gauge your agency’s situation in order to prepare for change.
System/Technology Change
System/technology changes can have a major impact on TAM operations and processes. Proactive management of these changes as they occur can go a long way toward yielding the positive benefits of system and technology changes.
Many state DOTs are currently embarking on total asset management systems. Introducing a major new system provides a good opportunity to undertake a comprehensive change management effort that addresses not only the required shifts in work processes and skills, but also the cultural changes that will ensure that the agency takes full advantage of the new technology to advance its practices. There is more information about the types of system and technology changes in Chapter 7.
The How-to Manage Change and Prepare for a System Replacement provides step-by-step guidance on being ready for a major TAM system replacement.
TIP
Change Management Models such as Prosci’s ADKAR® (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) can provide a framework that helps managers understand what tactics they need to employ for a given individual or group.
Ohio DOT
In fiscal year 2016, ODOT began phasing in new requirements for the development of District Work Plans that combined Capital and Maintenance projects. At that time, Districts’ Work Plans were required to match 25 percent of the lower cost treatments (such as chip seals and micro-surfacing) recommended by the pavement management system. For FY2017 and beyond, District Work Plans are required to match 75 percent of these PMS recommendations.
This change was met with concern by some district staff in regards to data quality in the PMS, and lack of familiarity with the new process. To address staff concerns, the Asset Management Leadership Team conducted workshops, bringing in staff involved in pavement programming from across the state. The workshop focused on actions that Ohio DOT could take to improve the PMS and its programming processes.