Applying strong change management in migration efforts helps accelerate adoption, limit disruption, and produce meaningful business results.
Technological advancements are accelerating faster than most organizations can adopt, placing many leaders at a crossroads. Leaders must modernize, improve performance, and support new ways of working while managing the risks that come with large-scale change. One of the most challenging parts of this process is navigating a major migration from older systems to newer, more capable tools.
It is common to blame technology for the difficulties that arise during a migration, but the real issue is rarely the tools. The biggest barriers usually come from people. A McKinsey report found that about 70% of large technology initiatives struggle because users are not prepared, expectations are unclear, or teams are not aligned.
As an IT Director or Vice President, you know that a migration is more than a systems upgrade. It changes how teams communicate, collaborate, and manage daily work. Without effective change management, even a well-planned migration can end up underused, misunderstood, or disconnected from business goals.
This article explores why change management is essential to a successful migration and how the right approach helps teams adopt new tools with clarity and confidence.
Why change management matters in migrations
When planning a migration, it is easy to focus on timelines, systems, and technical milestones. But the biggest risks are rarely rooted in the technology. They come from the people who need to work differently once the change goes live. If your teams are not prepared, informed, or supported, even a flawless deployment can struggle on day one.
A migration is not a simple IT project. It is a transformation that reshapes how your organization communicates, collaborates, and completes daily work. That is why change management matters. When it is missing, you see the impact quickly: confused users, resistance to new tools, slower workflows, and a noticeable drop in confidence.
Some of the most common missteps include:
- Underestimating how disruptive the change will feel to end users
- Providing limited communication or training until the last minute
- Allowing leadership to become distant or unclear about their role
These gaps are not minor. Each one affects your return on investment. Numerous independent studies on organizational transformation consistently show the same pattern: initiatives that pair technology change with structured, people-focused adoption programs are significantly more likely to achieve their expected outcomes. In other words, successful transformations depend on a coordinated approach that aligns people, processes, and technology, not just the tools involved.
When users understand the “why,” feel supported, and see leaders guiding the transition, your migration is far more likely to succeed and deliver the outcomes the business expects.
How change management drives migration success
Integrating change management into your migration strategy ensures the focus is not only on moving systems but also on helping people adapt effectively. When done well, it leads to clear, measurable gains:
- Faster adoption of new tools and workflows
- Fewer support tickets and reduced pressure on IT
- Stronger alignment between IT delivery and business goals
- Behavior changes that stay consistent long after go-live
Key elements of effective ACM (Adoption & Change Management)
Effective change management relies on preparation, communication, and clear ownership.
Here is what it looks like in practice:
- Executive sponsorship: Active, visible leadership provides the migration with direction and credibility. When executives communicate their priorities and openly support the effort, users pay attention and are more willing to adopt new tools.
- Communication roadmap: Consistent communication helps users understand what is changing, why it is happening, and how it affects their work. Tailoring messages to different departments and roles keeps the information relevant and avoids confusion.
- Role-based training plans: Generic training rarely sticks. Conduct a role-impact analysis and deliver hands-on, contextual training that mirrors real-world tasks. Users should know exactly how the new system affects their workflow and how to use it effectively. When training is relevant and practical, confidence grows, and mistakes shrink.
- Feedback and reinforcement loops: Adoption is an ongoing process. Collect feedback before, during, and after migration through surveys, pilot groups, and change champions. Reinforce desired behaviors with coaching, peer support, and visible wins. Continuous improvement helps prevent frustration and ensures adoption momentum continues.
- Governance and accountability: Clear roles and responsibilities support smoother adoption. Sponsors, change agents, and champions each play a part. Tracking usage, login patterns, and support trends shows where adoption is strong and where adjustments are needed.
- Sustainment strategy: Plan beyond go-live. Build reinforcement mechanisms such as refresher sessions, performance metrics, and office hours. Sustaining behavior ensures the change becomes part of your organization’s routine rather than fading after initial rollout.
Common pitfalls – what to avoid
Even with the best intentions, migration projects often stumble when they neglect the human side. Two common mistakes include:
- Minimizing Communication and Preparation: If users don’t understand the “why,” anxiety grows, and they cling to old processes. Strong change management increases the likelihood of meeting project objectives sevenfold.
- Treating Training as a One-Off Event: One-time sessions or town halls won’t cut it. True behavior change requires repetition, feedback, and reinforcement, especially when workflows shift significantly.
Building your change-management-driven migration strategy
A successful migration starts well before any technical work begins. The groundwork you set in the early stages determines how smoothly users adapt and how quickly the organization sees value.
Before migration starts
- Conduct a change impact assessment to identify the roles, teams, and processes that will experience the most disruption.
- Recruit sponsors and change champions who will support communication and encourage adoption.
- Create a communication plan that aligns leadership and keeps users informed at the right time.
- Build a training roadmap tailored to each role and its responsibilities.
- Establish feedback channels through surveys, pilot groups, and user communities.
During and after migration
- Train users through realistic, role-based scenarios that mirror day-to-day tasks.
- Monitor adoption indicators such as logins, feature usage, and help desk volume.
- Recognize early adopters and empower champions who model new behaviors.
- Provide post-go-live reinforcement through refresher training, peer coaching, and open office hours.
- Report progress to leadership using metrics that connect adoption to business outcomes.
Neglecting the people side of change creates unnecessary risk. As an IT leader, your responsibility goes beyond deploying technology. The real objective is to enable adoption, align IT with business goals, and deliver value that lasts.
Make your migration a strategic win
A migration is an opportunity to strengthen adoption, align IT with business goals, and deliver long-term value. When you build in change management from the beginning, you reduce disruption, accelerate user adoption, and create a smoother transition for every team involved.
NRI helps you achieve this. We work closely with your leadership team to secure sponsorship, build clear communication plans, and develop role-based training that reflects how people actually work. Our approach includes structured feedback loops, reinforcement strategies, and measurable adoption metrics to ensure the change takes hold and delivers meaningful results.
With NRI as your partner, your migration becomes more than a system upgrade. It becomes a strategic initiative that engages users, reduces help desk demand, and positions IT as a key contributor to business outcomes.
Assess your change-management readiness, understand your risks, and build your adoption roadmap. Contact us to create a tailored ACM strategy that supports both immediate success and long-term growth.
