Lesson 4: Change Management is Not Just Training – Why IT Project Failures are Really People Failures
Welcome back to my 21-part series on lessons learned throughout my IT project management career. Today, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood aspects of project success: change management.
By Tom Jones, IT Project Manager
Welcome back to my 21-part series on lessons learned throughout my IT project management career. Today, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood aspects of project success: change management.
Most IT leaders think change management is just another word for training. I used to think that, too—until I watched a $20 million system go completely unused because the end-users refused to adopt it.
In today’s lesson, I’ll explain: ✅ Why training is only 10% of change management. ✅ The biggest mistakes project managers make when rolling out change. ✅ The people-first strategies that drive adoption. ✅ How tools like ezRACI can help get stakeholders on board early.
The Project That Taught Me Change Management the Hard Way
In 2007, I was leading an enterprise-wide SAP migration for a manufacturing company. The technology was solid, the integrations worked, and the project team declared success.
The problem? The end-users didn’t want the new system.
Managers still used their old spreadsheets.
Warehouse workers ignored the new scanning process.
The finance team secretly tracked data in their legacy software.
After six months, productivity plummeted, and executives started blaming IT.
It wasn’t a technology failure—it was a people failure.
Why Most IT Projects Fail (Hint: It’s Not the Tech)
Studies show that 70% of digital transformation projects fail—not because of bad technology, but because of poor adoption. Here’s why:
🚨 1. People Resist What They Don’t Understand
If users don’t see how the new system benefits them, they’ll ignore it.
IT teams focus too much on technical success and not enough on behavioral change.
🚨 2. Executives Push Change Without Cultural Buy-in
Just because leadership says “We’re going live on June 1st” doesn’t mean employees will embrace it.
If change doesn’t align with company culture, it won’t stick.
🚨 3. Training Alone Won’t Solve the Problem
You can train employees for weeks, but if they don’t feel motivated to change, they won’t.
Change management isn’t about teaching new software—it’s about creating emotional investment.
The Three Pillars of Real Change Management
Here’s what I’ve learned about getting people to embrace change instead of resisting it.
1. Start Change Management on Day One, Not at Go-Live
❌ What happens: Most projects treat change management as a final step before go-live.
✅ Fix it:
Identify change champions early—these are employees who can advocate for the new system.
Create a RACI matrix (via ezRACI) to define who owns user adoption.
Build change management KPIs just like you do for project milestones.
2. Involve End-Users in the Process
❌ What happens: Employees feel like IT is forcing new tools on them, so they reject the change.
✅ Fix it:
Run pilot programs where real users give feedback before launch.
Use surveys, focus groups, and live demos to build a sense of ownership.
Implement coaching instead of just classroom training.
3. Reinforce Change After Go-Live
❌ What happens: Training ends on go-live day, but old habits creep back within weeks.
✅ Fix it:
Set up ongoing coaching and support.
Track adoption metrics using ezRACI to see who is struggling.
Reward employees for adopting the new system—incentives work!
How ezRACI Helps with Change Management
Change management fails when accountability is unclear. That’s why I use ezRACI to:
✅ Define who is responsible for driving user adoption. ✅ Track real-time adoption metrics to see who needs more support. ✅ Assign change champions to ensure ongoing training doesn’t stop at go-live.
If your organization treats change management as a checkbox task, it’s time to rethink your approach.
Final Thoughts: Change is an Emotional Journey, Not a Technical One
The biggest lesson I’ve learned? If people don’t WANT to change, your project will fail.
✔️ Start change management early. ✔️ Make users part of the process. ✔️ Reinforce adoption long after go-live.
Next time, in Lesson 5: The Risks of Over-Customization, I’ll share how customizing an SAP system nearly destroyed a project—and how to balance flexibility with maintainability.
Disclaimer: This blog is written from the perspective of Tom Jones, a fictional IT Project Manager, and is intended for informational and educational purposes. While based on real-world project management principles, all anecdotes and characters in these posts are entirely fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. The blog also references ezRACI, a project management tool designed to help teams succeed in project execution. However, these opinions are solely those of the fictional character and do not constitute an official endorsement.
About Tom Jones
Tom Jones: A Veteran IT Project Manager Navigating the Complexities of Enterprise Technology
Tom Jones is a seasoned IT Project Manager with over two decades of experience leading complex enterprise technology initiatives. Based in South Florida, Tom has built a reputation as a pragmatic, results-driven leader who thrives on solving intricate business and IT challenges. His expertise spans project management, IT security, large-scale system migrations, and process optimization, making him a trusted figure in the industry.
Early Life and Education
Tom was born and raised in Pennsylvania, eventually attending Penn State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems (MIS) in 2003. His passion for technology and business integration was evident early on, as he quickly grasped the nuances of systems architecture and project execution. His ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders became a defining characteristic of his career.
Professional Journey
Tom's career began at Unilever HPC as a Systems Analyst, where he got his first taste of large-scale enterprise operations. However, he quickly sought new challenges and moved to Washington, D.C., to work as a Consultant for the Department of Defense. This experience exposed him to high-stakes, mission-critical projects where precision and security were paramount.
Over the years, Tom took on increasingly demanding roles, managing SAP migrations, IT security projects, and various large-scale initiatives across industries. His ability to navigate high-pressure environments and deliver results led him to leadership roles in project management, where he excelled in driving teams toward successful project completion.
Leadership Philosophy
Tom's leadership style is rooted in accountability, transparency, and strategic execution. He believes that successful project management isn't just about timelines and budgets—it’s about aligning business objectives with technology solutions while fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. His direct, no-nonsense approach has earned him the respect of peers, executives, and technical teams alike.
Entrepreneurial Ventures and ezRACI
In recent years, Tom has expanded his expertise into entrepreneurship, co-founding ezRACI, a SaaS platform designed to streamline compliance, audit trails, and project management workflows. Recognizing the inefficiencies in traditional project management tools, he sought to develop a solution that integrates collaboration features like Slack and MS Teams, industry-specific templates, and intuitive dashboards for workload optimization. His goal with ezRACI is to help teams achieve clarity, accountability, and efficiency in their IT projects.
Personal Life
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Tom is a devoted husband and father of two elementary school-aged children. He enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his kids' sports teams, and keeping up with the latest industry trends. His wife, who works at the local library, shares his appreciation for continuous learning and knowledge-sharing. Together, they have built a life centered around personal growth, resilience, and community.
Legacy and Vision
With over 21 years in the industry, Tom Jones remains a passionate advocate for effective project management and IT governance. Through his blog, he shares lessons learned, war stories from past projects, and insights on optimizing workflows in modern enterprises. Whether leading large IT transformations or mentoring the next generation of project managers, Tom's mission remains the same: to drive efficiency, innovation, and lasting impact in the world of enterprise technology.
As he continues to build ezRACI into a premier project management tool, Tom is committed to reshaping how teams collaborate, execute projects, and maintain compliance in an ever-evolving digital landscape.