A Transition Plan is used to manage the change from an existing organisational state to a new state.
Time needed: 1 hour.
How to create a transition plan for your organisation:
- Set your timeframe
When does it start, how long, when does it finish?
- Describe the starting state
Where are you now?
- Describe the target state
Where do you want to be when the transition is finished?
- Describe the areas that will undergo transition
e.g. Product, Management, HR, Comms, Process, Location, Supply, Technology, Market, etc.
- List the tasks in each area
For each area of transition, what are the high-level transition tasks? Don’t be too granular.
- Show the risk levels
If there are areas that are risky, call them out. It helps if everyone is focused on the areas that need careful attention.
- Add checkpoints and milestones
Measurable targets, on the plan, help to focus the team and also to provide status checks along the way.
- Test it on your friends
Show your transition plan to a friend, and see if they understand it. Give them five minutes to read it, then ask them questions to see if they were able to understand it.
Transition Planning FAQs
Through experience from hundreds of transition projects, we recommend a Transition Roadmap format, so that you can show the important plans on 1 side of A4 (or 1 Powerpoint slide).
Try and keep it to 5 swim lanes (workstreams) or less. If you have too many lanes, the diagram gets complicated, and your message is no longer clear.
Yes. It is healthy to highlight the areas of risk for your teams and stakeholders, so that they can prepare -for and manage the risk.
Test it out on a friend. Give them 5 minutes to read it, then ask them a series of questions; e.g. “When does the project start?”, “What are the riskiest parts?”, and “Who is in charge of the HR workstream?”
We have created this Transition Plan Template in response to a series of requests for a Timeline template to assist with Change Management.
We have arranged this template into the following areas.
Team and Personnel Changes
It’s likely that you will have to change how people and teams are arranged.
New processes
There could be some business process re-engineering to be rolled-out.
Relocation
You may have to move locations, or start an off-shore supplier relationship.
Starting state and end state
In all change situations, there is a gap between the planned new arrangement and where you are right now – a Transition is required.
Our Transition Plan Template will provide a solid communications and planning tool for your transition.
Features of the transition plan template
- Timeline with draggable milestones.
- Event markers in each workstream.
- Management workstream (to show coordination activities in the transition project).
- Communications Workstream (announcements, comms).
- HR Workstream (transition HR issues management).
- Relocation Workstream.
- IT Workstream (PC and telecomms).
View the Transition Plan Template.
Short on time?
try one of these templates:
Transition Plan Powerpoint
This Transition Plan Powerpoint template is the perfect way to show your plans and important business milestones. Show worksteams, milestones, risk levels & more.
Transition Plan Template (Visio)
Need to manage a large organisational change / Re-Org? This Transition Plan Template will show your “Change Plans” in a simple 1-sider for all stakeholders.
Excel Transition Plan Template
The Microsoft Excel Transition Plan Template presents your transition in simple roadmap graphic, so that anyone can understand it rapidly. Starting state, plans, milestones, risk level and target state. Simple.
Risk Log and Transition Management Template Deal (PPT & Excel)
This Risk Log and Transition Management Template Pack provides professional risk logs, and transition planning tools. Download at more than 70% discount.
See the Risk Log and Transition Management Template Deal (PPT & Excel)
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