Knowledge Centre

What Makes a Great Interim Specialist (And How to Spot the Wrong One)

The difference between a good interim and a poor one is not on the CV. Five things that separate them – and the warning signs worth acting on early.

Bridging the Gap: How Independent Experts Can Elevate Internal Teams

Independent change specialists work best as collaborators, not replacements – bridging capability gaps while internal teams keep control of delivery.

Why Dyslexia is a Strength in Driving Change Agendas

John Dean, CEO of Change Specialists, on how dyslexia became an asset in leading complex change – holistic problem solving, resilience, and…

Lessons from the Frontline: Real-World Change Management Case Studies

Three real change programmes, three hard lessons – on absent sponsors, resistance that is not really about the technology, and pacing change to an…

Lessons from the Field: What I Have Learned Leading Change Across Teams and Decades

John Dean, CEO of Change Specialists, on five lessons learned across 30 years of leading change – why people resist being changed, and why no…

Managing Change in Uncertain Times

Why Managers Matter More Than Ever During Transformation

Why Many New Year Resolutions Fail at Work – How To Make Change Stick

At Change Specialists, we know that change management is not about posters and PowerPoint decks. It’s the bridge between intent and outcome.

People Positive Transformation: Why Human Value Must Lead the AI Revolution

At Change Specialists, we know that change management is not about posters and PowerPoint decks. It’s the bridge between intent and outcome.

Change Management Is Not A Barrier, But The Bridge To Impact

At Change Specialists, we know that change management is not about posters and PowerPoint decks. It’s the bridge between intent and outcome.

AI is Reshaping the CIO Agenda – And That’s a Good Thing

Change Specialists, Thriving

How To Thrive Through Change

Change Specialists, Thriving

Why Technology Should Enhance, Not Replace, Human Connections

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Change

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

The Importance of Skill Alignment Over Availability in Project Teams

In the world of project and change management, the composition of your team can make or break a programme. The Importance of skill alignment over…

Why Turning Resistance Into Advocacy Is Crucial To Success

Every individual has the potential to be an agent of change. Turning resistance into advocacy supports success. But what steps can you follow when…

How To Attract and Retain Best In Class IT Resource

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape it is a challenge to attract and retain best in class IT resource. This blog post, will explore the…

Why Effective Project Leadership Supports Successful Outcomes

Effective project leadership is quite rightly viewed as a critical part of the jigsaw in achieving success, especially when delivering change.…

The Great Return Needs Great Communication

With many organisations welcoming staff back to the office this Spring senior leader’s enthusiasm for returning to the office might, to some,…

Hiring in a candidate driven market

In the current candidate driven market its essential that you move quickly to make the best hire. The market has changed, organisations need to…

Running an Effective PMO: Benefits, Practice and the Roles That Carry It

What a PMO delivers, the five things that make one effective, and the two roles that decide whether it adds value or just produces documents.

Mitigating Risk in Large-Scale Change: A Proactive Approach

Operational, financial, regulatory and reputational risk all arrive at once on a large programme. Five things that mitigate it – starting with the…

Measuring Success in Change Management: Beyond KPIs

KPIs are snapshots. They show whether a system was adopted, not whether people were empowered or resigned. The qualitative and quantitative…

The Importance of a RAID Log from a Programme Sponsor Perspective

Risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies – what belongs in a RAID log, what a sponsor should look for, and why an entry without an owner is a…

Why Good Project Managers Are Not Always Good Change Managers

Two distinct skillsets, routinely confused. Why change management bolted on at the end cannot deliver adoption – and what staffing both roles…

Programme Health Check: Driving Success in Strategic Initiatives

A structured review that identifies risk, strengthens governance and protects benefits – with real numbers: £500k rework avoided, £5m revenue…

Taking Over a Programme: A Checklist for Programme Directors

Inheriting a programme? The first weeks decide the rest. Five areas to establish – status, governance, documents, roles and early wins – with what…

The Role of a Programme Director: Why Choosing the Right One is Critical

What separates an outstanding Programme Director from an average one – vision, communication, resilience, humility, stakeholder skill and…

Is Your Business Truly Ready for Transformational Change?

Change Specialists, Are you ready for change?

Are You Reaping The Rewards Of Transformation?

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

The High Cost of Poor Change Management

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

5 Tips for Turning Around a Project in Need of Recovery

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

How to Maximise ROI in Change Management

Basic Drills for Governing Change in 4 Steps – Change Specialists

Basic Drills for Governing Change in 4 Steps

Basic Drills for Governing Change in 4 Steps – Change Specialists

5 Tips for Developing a Project Plan

Project planning is a critical phase in the project management lifecycle, as it lays the groundwork for the successful execution and delivery of…

How to Implement SMART Project Requirements

In this post Change Specialists CEO, John Dean, shares his tips and steps outlining how to Implement SMART project requirements. This approach…

Best Practice Techniques for Governing Change Programmes

In today’s uncertain economic climate and competitive landscape, having in place effective governance for IT and change programmes is critical to…

Leveraging the MoSCoW Method for Effective Prioritisation

Must, Should, Could, Won’t have this time – how MoSCoW turns a scope argument into a recorded decision, with five things that make it work and two…

Understanding the 7 R’s of Change Management

Reason, Risk, Resources, Return, Responsible, Relationship and Review – a framework for testing whether a change has been thought through, with…

Change Management Glossary: 20 Terms Explained

Plain-English definitions of the 20 change management terms that matter most, from stakeholder engagement to change readiness and governance…

What Really Drives Change Success?

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

Selecting the Right Project Methodology

As a sponsor of projects or programmes, your decisions will significantly influence the project’s outcome. One crucial decision is selecting the…

The 5 Pillars You Need To Create Lasting Change

John Dean, CEO shares his view of the 5 pillars you need to create lasting change. In today’s fast-paced business environment, sustainable…

How To Manage Backlog In Agile

Change Specialists Practice Director, Julian Brown, shares his 5 best practice steps to manage backlog in an Agile environment. I’ve witnessed a…

Effective Change Management in the UK University Sector

Five change strategies for UK higher education, with what Suffolk, the Open University, Manchester, Warwick and Edinburgh each got right.

Change Management in Financial Services: Regulation, Rates and Digitisation

In financial services the deadline is set by the regulator, not the programme board. Why change management here is a compliance discipline – FCA…

Why NHS Transformation Fails: Technology Is Now the Easy Part

NHS trusts no longer struggle to implement technology – they struggle to change themselves. Why cultural readiness, not digital maturity, decides…

Driving Change in NHS Trusts: The Role of Technology and Efficiency

How NHS Trusts are using electronic records, telemedicine, AI and automation to improve patient care – and why these programmes succeed or stall…

Why AI Adoption Fails: 5 Realities Every Leader Must Face

AI Adoption, Change Specialists

The Integration Risks That Derail Public Sector Reform

Some public sector integrations fail quietly – not because of ambition, but because predictable risks around decisions, accountability, and…

Embracing Trends to Stay Ahead in a Complex World

Change Specialists, Change to Grow

Why Cyber Security is Vital in Today’s Digital Landscape

In our increasingly interconnected world reliable cyber security is rightly a high priority for organisations. This blog post from our CEO John…

FCA Consumer Duty – Is Your Project Team Ready?

FCA Consumer Duty implementation is top of mind for many organisations, and with good reason! The rules apply to regulated firms providing retail…

Change Specialists Named as a Supplier on G-Cloud 15

Change Specialists confirmed on the G-Cloud 15 Framework

Change Specialists Awarded DOS7 – Digital Specialists Framework Contract

Change Specialists Awarded DOS7 – Digital Specialists Framework Contract

G-Cloud 14 Framework for the Second Consecutive Year

Change Specialists confirmed on the G-Cloud 14 Framework for the second consecutive year

Change Management Question & Answer with the National Housing Federation

Change Specialists CEO John Dean was thrilled to be invited to join the recent National Housing Federation Eastern Region HR Forum Change…

Crown Commercial Service supplier for DOS 6 & G-Cloud – Change Specialists Ltd

We are delighted to announce that Change Specialists are now an approved supplier on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Digital Outcomes and…

Introducing CS Flex Service Assurance Model

Change Specialists Flex Service (CS Flex) enables you to buy in professional change capability when and where you need it. More flexible, dynamic…

Change Specialists achieve Gold status rating by EcoVadis.

Change Specialists is delighted to have been ranked among the top 5% of global companies for our commitment to sustainability, achieving Gold…