The Missing Link: How Integration Management Bridges Project and Change Management

By Rodolfo Reygada
Oct 09, 2023

When you're designing, developing, or executing a project, it all boils down to this core idea: Integration and transformation management are key components in any project.

Projects, whether they're focused on industry, optimization, modernization, expansion, or sustainability, involve a multitude of disciplines. Despite the availability of software solutions, the proper definition and use of these concepts often remain elusive. The reality in most real-life projects is far from ideal; the integration role often becomes the weakest link or, worse yet, goes missing entirely. How many times have you witnessed a project deviate from its planned course, even when support tools have been invested in?

The Integrator: Fundamental, Yet Often Neglected.

It's important to recognize that a software tool by itself is not sufficient. Even assembling a team of experts with a well-thought-out plan is rarely enough. The missing piece needed to bridge the gap between the current situation and the desired future: an integrator, capable of harmonizing the various steps taken by different entities, speaking their technical languages, and identifying any inconsistencies or deviations in the transformation process. Therefore, effective management of this dimension is critical.

The role of this integrator involves vertical integration, for example aligning high-level business and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, instilling them in every aspect of the team, each with its own unique technical jargon. Additionally, the integrator facilitates horizontal integration, resolving issues and monitoring progress across various domains, from concrete and machinery to operations and compliance, all while serving as a translator for the diverse technical languages.

Projects typically begin with an unsolved problem or a decision to enhance competitiveness, stemming from someone's idea. However, different units, each with its own specialization and focus, often perceive the problem, solution, and path differently. Operations may see production; maintenance may see failures; logistics may see stock levels; administration may see financial balances; IT may see data; management may see profits; HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) may see risks, and people management may see productivity. They all have different perspectives on the same transformation project.

Integration management: make or break.

From the conceptualization of the project to its commissioning, successful transformation requires strong integration that convinces all participants and decision-makers. It ensures that everyone comprehends the path in their own terms and understands the implications of any variations within their scope. The most significant mistake occurs when someone is forced into something they don't comprehend, don't know, or can't find their place within. In these cases, the integrator's role has faltered, and the transformation has gained an adversary while losing a valuable piece

Hungry for more?

Discover more ideas to improve your business

Improving Decision Making: Insure Premium Performance

Explore how decision automation is reshaping the insurance landscape, from streamlined underwriting processes to efficient claims processing and fraud detection. Discover how innovative technologies are optimizing insurance operations and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Pushing Data to a Tipping Point: Meet Your Overstory

Explore why data-driven transformation remains challenging, despite advancements in AI and analytics. This article examines the 'overstory'—a concept from ecological studies and expounded upon in Malcolm Gladwell's The Revenge of the Tipping Point—and how industrial, corporate, and individual influences create barriers to data adoption within organizations.

The Challenge of Digital Evolution: Software vs Solution

Explore the intersection between ESG reportability and digital transformation with Phi Research. Learn how they facilitate transparency and trust building through real-time data analysis. Learn how Phi Research's holistic approach harmonizes business objectives with technology solutions, guiding organizations on a transformative journey to success.

Book a Meeting & Find Balance with Change Management
Let's make your vision a reality
Bring harmony to your business
Start Now