Case Study: Project management & information management for an international nonprofit team

If your small nonprofit team seems often to struggle with efficiency, productivity, and internal communications issues, then it may be time to explore change management.

Effective change management involves understanding the impact of internal changes on people, processes, and systems. It factors in cultural, organizational, and psychological influences on individuals and groups.

Change management emphasizes the importance of clear communication, stakeholder engagement, and creating a supportive environment that fosters buy-in, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Let’s look at how one small international nonprofit team could use change management to improve efficiency and productivity.

Background

A small international nonprofit team consisting of 12 members from different countries and language backgrounds was facing challenges with project coordination, communication, and information management across multiple locations.

Productivity & Efficiency Benefits

After implementing an integrated project and information management system with the help of change management consultants, the team experienced significant productivity and efficiency benefits:

• Streamlined Project Coordination: The integrated system allowed team members across locations to access and update project details in real-time, which improved coordination, minimized communication gaps, and reduced project delays.
• Enhanced Collaboration: The system provided a collaborative workspace where nonprofit team members could communicate, share documents, and collaborate on projects efficiently. The cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge-sharing resulted in improved productivity and better decision-making.
• Efficient Information Management: The integrated system facilitated the organization, storage, and retrieval of project-related information, eliminating the need for manual search.
• Data-driven Decision Making: The system’s reporting and analytics capabilities provided valuable insights into project progress, resource allocation, and outcomes.

Change Management Process

1. Assessing the Need for Change

Together with a change management consultant, the nonprofit team conducted a comprehensive assessment of their current project and information management practices. They identified challenges such as: fragmented communication, scattered data, and lack of visibility across locations.

They recognized the need for an integrated system that could centralize project management and information sharing to improve productivity and efficiency.

2. Creating a Change Strategy

The consultant helped the team to develop a change strategy that outlined the steps for implementing the integrated project and information management system. They defined specific objectives, identified the key features and benefits of the system, and created a roadmap for the change initiative. They allocated resources for training, implementation, and ongoing support.

3. Communicating the Change

The nonprofit’s leadership understood the importance of effective communication to gain buy-in and support from team members across different locations and language backgrounds. They attended consultant-led virtual team meetings, presentations, and training sessions to explain the benefits of the integrated system: improved collaboration, streamlined project management, and enhanced productivity.

4. Training and Skill Development

The change management consultant provided comprehensive training to all team members on how to use the integrated project and information management system effectively. They arranged language-specific training sessions, workshops, and provided user guides in multiple languages.

The training focused on project management best practices, utilizing the system’s features, and efficient information sharing and collaboration.

5. Implementation and Integration

The team gradually introduced the integrated system in their daily workflow. The system they developed with their consultants ensured seamless integration with existing tools and processes. Team members were encouraged and acknowledged for using the system for project planning, task allocation, document sharing, and progress tracking.

The consultants provided ongoing support and guidance during the implementation phase to address any challenges and facilitate smooth adoption.

By implementing change management and integrating project and information management systems, the small international nonprofit team significantly improved productivity, efficiency, and collaboration across multiple locations among those from different language backgrounds. 

Please note that this is a fictional case study created for illustrative purposes. Want to discuss your own productivity and efficiency challenges? Reach out!