How to Manage Changes in a Portfolio Using the Change Management Studio

Overview

Portfolio-level changes span multiple programs and strategic initiatives, often aligning with enterprise-wide goals. These changes typically affect a broad range of stakeholders, require executive sponsorship, and involve significant shifts in priorities, resources, or organizational direction.

Given their scope and complexity, portfolio-level changes demand a structured approach to managing both operational execution and individual adoption. The ADKAR model helps ensure the human side of change is addressed across all impacted groups.

This guide walks you through how to initiate, monitor, and manage portfolio-level changes using the Change Management Studio with the ADKAR model providing a framework to support individual and organizational adoption.

What is the ADKAR Model?

ADKAR is a practical and widely adopted change management model designed to guide both individual and organizational transformation. It outlines five key building blocks individuals need to move through for a change to be successful:

Awareness – Understanding why the change is necessary
Desire – Having the motivation to support and participate in the change
Knowledge – Knowing how to change and what the change involves
Ability – Developing the skills and behaviors needed to implement the change
Reinforcement – Sustaining the change through continued support and recognition

By focusing on these elements, ADKAR helps ensure that change is not only implemented but fully adopted and sustained.

📌Step1-Access the Change Management Studio

To access the Change Management Studio, use one of the following paths:

Option 1: From the main menu, navigate to Portfolio → Manage → Change Management Studio 
Option 2: Open Change Management Studio directly from the Portfolio Office.

📌Step2-Create a Change Canvas

The Change Canvas captures the context, reasoning, and outcomes associated with the portfolio-level change.

Choose the relevant portfolio from the scrolling list.
Fill in the following fields to create a complete change overview:

General Information

Field	Description
Change Name	Title of the change initiative
Business Owner	Executive sponsor or accountable leader for the change
Manager Name	Person responsible for managing and executing the change

Identify the Change

Field	Description
Change Description	Describe what employees, customers, or users will be able to do differently
Change Decision	Explain the rationale or business case for initiating the change
Change Impact	Identify the stakeholder groups or departments affected by this change

Implement the Change

Field	Description
Stakeholder Preparation	Outline the communication, training, and readiness activities planned for adoption
Business Outcomes	Define the specific outcomes or goals this change is intended to achieve
Change Date	Indicate the planned implementation date for the change

Measure the Impact

Field	Description
Real Outcomes	Once available, document the actual results of the change and their sources
Next Steps	Include any follow-up actions or next steps required after implementation

💡 Use AIZO

Click the AIZO icon to review AI-generated suggestions based on your context and industry. Copy, customize, and paste the recommendations directly into the appropriate fields to save time and enrich your Change Canvas.

📌Step3-Add a Change Action

After defining your Change Canvas, break the change into actionable steps by creating one or more Change Actions

A Change Action refers to a specific, tactical activity designed to support one of the five stages of individual or organizational change:

Awareness → Desire → Knowledge → Ability → Reinforcement

1. Click to open the "Create Change" dialog box and fill the required fields. Click the AIZO icon to receive context-aware recommendations. Copy, customize, and paste into the appropriate field

Field	Description
Name	Action title
Change Type	Classifies the nature of the change: • System – Technology platform, tools, or infrastructure changes • Process – Business procedure or workflow changes • Organization – Structural or governance changes (teams, roles, reporting lines) • Culture – Behavioral or mindset shifts across the organization
Change Topic	Main theme or domain of the change
Change Phase	select one of ADKAR phase: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforce
Scope Description	Summary of what’s affected or in scope
Expected Output	Intended outcomes of the change action
Real Output	Actual or anticipated results
Impact	Assess the potential impact: Low, Moderate, High, Extreme
Status	Current status of the action
Progress	Describe progress to date
Estimated Start/End Dates	Timeline for this action
Owner	Person accountable for the action
Notify	Users or groups to be informed

2. Click to save your change record.

✏️Managing an existing Portfolio Change

To modify an existing change:

1. Select the associated portfolio from the list in the Change Management Studio.

2. Click the "Edit" next to the change you want to update.

3. Update any fields in the Change Canvas or Change Actions as needed.

4. Click to save your changes and ensure they are reflected in the portfolio record.

✅ Summary

Managing change at the portfolio level requires more than just strategic alignment—it demands a structured, people-focused approach. By combining the Change Management Studio with the ADKAR model, you can ensure that each change initiative is clearly defined, effectively executed, and fully adopted across programs and stakeholders. The Change Canvas helps document the rationale and scope of change, while Change Actions provide tactical steps for implementation and adoption.
With the support of AIZO, you can streamline planning, generate context-aware suggestions