Case Study: The Evolving Software PlatformBackgroundAcme Software Solutions is a medium-sized company specializing in customer relationshipmanagement (CRM) software. Their flagship product, ConnectPro, has been a reliable choice formid-market businesses for several years. However, recent market shifts indicate a growingdemand for cloud-based, highly customizable CRM solutions that integrate seamlessly withthird-party applications.Recognizing this trend, Acme's leadership team decides to undertake a significanttransformation of the ConnectPro platform. The project's scope includes: Architecture: Transitioning from a legacy on-premises model to a cloud-basedinfrastructure. Features: Adding robust customization options and building an API framework forintegrations. User Interface: Modernizing the UI for a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.

Change Communication Challenges(Watch - Challenging Communication Tips for Better Project Communication 10:48 Minutes)The project manager, Sarah, understands the importance of effective change management.However, she encounters these communication challenges: Stakeholder Buy-in: Several long-time sales representatives' express skepticism aboutthe change. They're comfortable selling the existing product and fear the new platformwill disrupt their established sales pipelines. Customer Impact: While the changes are intended to enhance the customer experience,there's concern among the support team that existing clients might find the newinterface difficult to navigate, leading to increased training and support requests. Internal Team Dynamics: Development teams are excited about the technicalchallenges, but the transition will require a steep learning curve and a shift in their usualprocesses. PRJM1008 - Change ManagementTest 2 (15 Marks)(2 Hours)

Resistance to Change(Watch - How to Deal with Resistance to Change - 10:45 Minutes)Sarah observes various forms of resistance throughout the project: Passive Resistance: Some team members express agreement but demonstrate delays intheir work or provide incomplete updates. "Old Ways" Adherence: A few senior developers subtly push for features similar to thelegacy system, resisting the move towards open APIs and modern software design. Rumors and Misinformation: Anxiety among customer support staff leads tospeculation about potential job losses and exaggerated challenges for clients.

Change Management Perspectives(Watch - Navigate and Embrace Change - 4:32 Minutes)Sarah draws insights from different change management models to address these challenges: Kotter's 8-Step Process: She focuses on creating a sense of urgency, building a guidingcoalition, and celebrating short-term wins to maintain momentum. Lewin's Change Model: Sarah recognizes the need to "unfreeze" old habits, guide theorganization through the transition, and ensure the changes become the new norm("refreeze"). ADKAR Model: She addresses awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcementto facilitate individual behavioral change within the organization.

Essay-Style Questions1. Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Analyze how Sarah could have fosteredgreater support from sales representatives and customer support teams from the initialstages of the project. Discuss specific communication strategies and the importance ofaddressing their concerns proactively. (250 Word Minimum)

2. Change Leadership and Resistance to Change Evaluate Sarah's application of differentchange management perspectives (Kotter, Lewin, ADKAR). How could a combinedapproach strengthen her methods for overcoming the various forms of resistanceencountered? Which additional strategies would you recommend given the specificchallenges in this case study? (250 Word Minimum