The Essence of ADKAR:
a model for individual change

Consider that when a group undergoes a change, it is not the organization that changes, but rather the behaviors of individuals. This change in collective behavior is what produces different outcomes for the organization. For example, when a company reorganizes, it is not the restructuring that represents the change, but rather the shift in accountabilities and responsibilities for each person. New behavior results, and different business outcomes are achieved. In other words, organizations don’t change, people within organizations change.

With this basic principle of organizational change, a simple connection can be made between change projects and business results. The link between any strategy, process or system change and the associated business results is the collection of individual changes that occur one person at a time.

Understanding how to achieve change at an individual level, therefore, is essential to achieving the objectives of any large-scale change. This is called individual change management. Organizational change management and individual change management must be used together to manage change successfully.

The ADKAR model reflects the necessary building blocks for individual change and was developed based on analysis of research data from over 900 organizations over a 10 year period. The abbreviation stands for:

These elements represent the most basic requirements for a person to achieve and sustain a change. By their nature, they cannot be skipped or reordered. For example, you cannot manage change with employees in a business by simply sending them to a training class. They may not know why the change is happening and may be resistant to both the training and the change.

The link, therefore, between strategy, process or systems changes and associated business results is the collective achievement of the ADKAR elements by individuals in an organization. Specifically, the ultimate business results are a function of how many individuals work through the elements of the ADKAR model leading to the ability to implement the change, and to what degree that capability is reinforced.

With this working model for individual change management, organizational change management models can now be applied more effectively and more deliberately. Said another way, organizational change management approaches are not as effective without a method for measuring success at an individual level.

For example, consider the many different forms of organizational change management including:

• Communications
• Sponsorship
• Employee involvement
• Training and education
• Resistance management
• Rewards and recognition
• Coaching by managers and supervisors

Successful change does not result by merely completing these activities. Our goal, and what we can subsequently measure, are the outcomes of awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. This is also true for structured approaches for managing change including processes from John Kotter, Daryl Connor, Jeanenne LaMarsh and Prosci. You can map or align nearly all change management techniques to an ADKAR element, allowing your change management team to connect “activities” to a measurable standard for moving individuals through the change process. The ADKAR model is that link between individual performance, organizational change management and business results. 

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For more information, read the new book, ADKAR: a model for change in business, government and our community available now from Amazon.com or Prosci at 970-203-9332.

	Download The Essence of ADKAR tutorial (PDF opens in new window)
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	Ask a Prosci analyst - find out about best practices and how you can use the checklist in your organization
	Order the new book, ADKAR: a model for change in business, government and our community for a complete description of the model and how it can be applied

Tools for applying change management:

• Change management certification ($2100) - 3-day program where you bring a project you are working on and apply all of the assessments and tools as you learn them - taught by former Fortune 500 executives at locations across the U.S.
• ADKAR: a model for change in business, government and our community ($18.95) - a complete description of the ADKAR model and how it can be applied to create successful change
• 2007 Best Practices in Change Management benchmarking report ($249) - journal-style report with lessons learned and best practices from 426 participants, presented in an easy-to-use format - reads as a checklist of what to do and what not to do
• Change Management Toolkit ($349) - hardcopy 3-ring binder presenting Prosci's change management methodology, includes templates, checklists and assessments for managing the people side of change (includes CD-ROM)
• Change Management Guide for Managers and Supervisors ($189) - tools to help supervisors engage and coach their direct reports through change (includes 4 copies of the Employee's Survival Guide)
• Change Management Pilot ($449) - online tool including Prosci's change management methodology, eLearning modules and downloadable templates, assessments, presentations and checklists
• Change Management Pilot Professional ($559) - the content of the Change Management Pilot plus additional benchmarking data and an online version of the Change Management Guide for Managers and Supervisors
• Change Management: the people side of change ($18.95) - a primer for anyone involved in organizational change that addresses why manage change, individual change management and organizational change management
• Employee's Survival Guide to Change (14.95) - a handbook to help employees survive and thrive during change, answers frequently asked questions and empowers employees to take charge of change

*** Prosci also offers leadership packages - groupings of products at discounts that offer you some of the most helpful and common combinations of Prosci change management resources

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Email a Prosci analyst or call 970-203-9332 with questions about the methodology, its application, or finding the right resources to support your change management activities.