J-curve Of Change

By Author: David Viney
Total Articles: 2
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20 years ago, I published my first book, 'The Intranet Portal Guide.' It was a popular, though niche, title derived from my earlier 'Dig For Victory' website. The book focused on making a business case for a corporate portal and successfully delivering the project. Though portal technology has evolved and the book is out of print, one concept has endured: The "J-Curve of Change".

My Inspiration

While exploring the Changefirst method for People-Centred Implementation (PCI®), I pondered the difference between system installation and true change implementation. I realized that "change" often translates to "loss" for people, mirroring the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (the Kübler-Ross model). I also drew from the Four Stages of Competence theory, which describes the progression from incompetence to competence.

The Transition State

I developed the J-Curve to illustrate the transition from the current state to the desired state. Stakeholders often expect immediate performance improvements, but ...
... change introduces instability, causing initial performance dips. Even with a better car, adapting to new controls and features takes time, leading to temporary reduced performance.

Good Business Change Management

Without change management, the performance dip can be substantial. Change champions minimize disruption through awareness, training, and rewards. Managing stakeholder expectations is crucial to avoid unrealistic demands for immediate improvement and to maintain support until benefits are realized.

Final Thoughts

It's been rewarding to see the J-Curve model adopted over the years as a valuable change management tool. Richard Badham, Professor of Management at Macquarie Business School, recently featured the J-Curve in his book, "Ironies of Organizational Change." I look forward to reading it and seeing his enhancements. Best wishes for your change efforts—they are challenging but rewarding.

You can read the full article - including the diagram itself - on my Musings Blog (on the David Viney author site).

Yours,
David.