PHASE: Build & Manage

By the end of this phase, the solution is built, stakeholders are prepared, and the project is ready to transition to operations.

This is the longest and most dynamic phase of the project. Your team is executing the plan, building the solution, and managing everything that comes with it: progress, risks, issues, stakeholder engagement, and the ongoing people-side of the change. Things will shift. Priorities will compete. This phase is about staying focused, keeping the team aligned, and making sure the change lands the way it was intended.

Build & Manage Phase Objective

The following activities must be completed during this phase.

Drive & Manage Change Management Activities: This is where your Change Management Plan moves from a document to a set of real actions happening in the real world. By the end of this activity, your stakeholders are informed, prepared, and supported through the change.

Document & Manage Process Changes: This activity makes sure those changes are captured clearly before implementation so your team, your trainers, and your Process Owner all understand what's changing, why it's changing, and what people need to know and be able to do differently.

Manage Build & Implementation: This is where the plan meets reality. Your team is building the solution, managing the schedule, tracking risks, communicating with stakeholders, and keeping the Sponsor informed.

Browse the activities below to find guidance, templates, and tools.

ACTIVITY #1: Drive & Manage Change Management Activities

Planning for change is one thing. Making it happen is another. This is where your Change Management Plan moves from a document to a set of real actions happening in the real world. Communications go out, coaching happens, training gets delivered, and resistance gets managed. By the end of this activity, your stakeholders are informed, prepared, and supported through the change.

Expected Output	What to Do	Tips	Templates Used	Resources
A fully developed Change Management Plan that details the communication strategy, resistance management approach, coaching plan, and training plan needed to successfully move stakeholders through the change. Serves as the primary change management execution guide throughout the Build & Manage phase.	Building on the draft Change Management Plan developed in Plan & Prepare, fully develop each component: 1. Finalize Communication Plan: Review and finalize all audiences, messages, channels, timing, and owners. Ensure communications continue to map to the change curve and align to the Project Workplan. 2. Develop Resistance Management Plan: Using the initial resistance risks identified in Plan & Prepare, develop detailed mitigation strategies for each risk. Assign owners and incorporate resistance management activities into the Project Workplan. 3. Develop Coaching Plan: Identify who needs coaching support, what coaching is needed, who will deliver it, and when. Incorporate coaching activities into the Project Workplan. 4. Develop Training Plan: Identify all training needed to prepare stakeholders for the change. Define training content, delivery method, audience, timing, and ownership. Incorporate training activities into the Project Workplan. 5. Incorporate into Project Workplan: Ensure all finalized change management activities are reflected in the Project Workplan and resourced appropriately.	Tip: The draft Change Management Plan from Plan & Prepare gives you a head start. Don't start from scratch. Focus on adding detail and depth to what's already there.	Communications Plan	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Map Communications to the Change Curve
		Tip: Resistance management is not a one-time activity. It's an ongoing process. Build regular resistance check-ins into your Project Workplan throughout the Build & Manage phase.	Barrier Point Assessment Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Develop a Resistance Management Plan
		Tip: Training and coaching are not the same thing. Training builds knowledge and skills. Coaching builds confidence and commitment. Both are needed for sustainable change.	Coaching Plan Template Training Plan Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Develop and Deliver an Effective Training Plan
		Tip: Every change management activity needs to be in the Project Workplan. If it's not scheduled and resourced alongside project delivery activities, it will get deprioritized when things get busy.	Smartsheet/Google Sheet Project Workplan	Quick How-to-Guide Example

ACTIVITY #2: Document & Manage Process Changes

Most projects change how work gets done. This activity makes sure those changes are captured clearly before implementation so your team, your trainers, and your Process Owner all understand what's changing, why it's changing, and what people need to know and be able to do differently. Process documentation isn't just a project artifact. It's the foundation for training, sustainability, and everything that comes after go-live.

Expected Output	What to Do	Tips	Templates Used	Resources
Documented current and future state processes that clearly identify what is changing, how work will be done differently, and what people need to know and be able to do. Serves as the foundation for the Training Plan and ensures process changes are captured before implementation.	1. Identify Process Owner: Identify and confirm the individual responsible for owning the process after the project closes. The Process Owner plays a critical role in ensuring the process is documented accurately and sustained after go-live. 2. Document Current State Process: Map the current state process to establish a clear baseline of how work is done today. Identify inefficiencies, pain points, and areas of impact. Document current and future state processes using your organization's preferred process mapping tool or method. 3. Document Future State Process: Map the future state process to clearly define how work will be done after implementation. Identify the gaps between current and future state. These gaps define what people need to learn and do differently. 4. Integrate into Training Plan: Use the current and future state process maps to inform and update the Training Plan. The gaps between current and future state define the core training content. 5. Incorporate into Project Workplan: Ensure all process documentation and mapping sessions are scheduled and resourced in the Project Workplan.	Tip: The Process Owner should be identified early, before process mapping begins. Without a committed owner, process documentation often becomes a project artifact that no one maintains after go-live.	Process Owner Guide	Guide Document Best Practices: The Importance and Value of Process Documentation at UC Berkeley Best Practices: Driving Efficiency. The Power of Process Improvement
		Tip 1: Always document the current state before the future state. Without a clear picture of how things work today, it's impossible to fully understand what's changing or design training that addresses the real gaps. Tip 2 UC Berkeley: Nintex Process Manager is the recommended tool for process documentation at UC Berkeley. It provides a centralized, accessible repository for all process documentation and supports ongoing process management after go-live.	Process Map Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Micro-Training How to Document Current and Future State Processes UC Berkeley: Nintex Process Manager Guide
		Tip: Use the gaps identified between current and future state processes as the foundation for your training content. If people need to work differently, the process map tells you exactly what they need to learn.	Training Plan Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Develop an Effective Training Plan
		Tip 1: Process documentation sessions are often underestimated in terms of time and complexity. Build more time into the Workplan than you think you need. Getting the process right now prevents costly corrections after implementation. Tip 2: Schedule process mapping sessions as formal meetings with the right stakeholders in the room. The quality of your process documentation depends on who's at the table.	Smartsheet/Google Sheet Workplan	Quick How-to-Guide Example

ACTIVITY #3: Manage Build & Implementation

This is where the plan meets reality. Your team is building the solution, managing the schedule, tracking risks, communicating with stakeholders, and keeping the Sponsor informed. Things will shift and priorities will compete. Your job is to keep the project moving forward, address issues before they become problems, and make sure the organization is ready when go-live arrives.

Expected Output	What to Do	Tips	Templates Used	Resources
Part 1: A successfully built and implemented solution that has been delivered on time, within scope, and within budget. All project activities have been managed, tracked, and reported throughout the Build & Manage phase, and the organization is prepared for go-live. Part 2: A completed PCT Assessment check-in that measures current project health across Success, Sponsorship, Project Management, and Change Management dimensions. Results are compared to the Plan & Prepare baseline to identify areas of improvement or concern, and action plans are developed where needed.	Part 1: Manage Build & Implementation 1. Facilitate Project Team Meetings: Hold regular project team meetings using a structured agenda. Document action items, decisions, and issues in real time. Distribute meeting notes and action items promptly after each meeting. 2. Manage Project Workplan: Review and update the Project Workplan regularly to reflect current status. Identify tasks that are behind schedule and take corrective action. Escalate issues to the Sponsor when needed. 3. Manage Issues and Risks: Continuously monitor and update the Issues & Risks log. Ensure all risks have owners and active mitigation strategies. Escalate critical issues to the Sponsor promptly. 4. Manage Project Status Reports: Prepare and distribute regular Project Status Reports to the Sponsor and key stakeholders. Status reports should reflect current workplan progress, budget status, issues and risks, and upcoming milestones. 5. Manage Communication Plan: Execute and manage the Communication Plan throughout the Build & Manage phase. Adjust messaging and timing as the project evolves and ensure communications continue to map to the change curve. 6. Manage Project Budget: Track and manage project budget throughout the Build & Manage phase. Report budget status regularly and escalate variances to the Sponsor promptly. 7. Identify Implementation Support Activities: Identify all activities and roles needed to support a successful go-live. This may include help desk support, super users, training delivery, and post-implementation monitoring. Incorporate support activities into the Project Workplan. 8. Implement Solution: Execute the go-live plan. Monitor adoption, address issues in real time, and activate implementation support resources as needed.	Tip: Consistent meeting cadence is one of the strongest predictors of project success. Protect your recurring team meetings. Canceling them sends a signal that the project is not a priority.	Meeting Agenda	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices: Scheduling & Agendas
		Tip 1: Implementation support is often an afterthought. Identifying support roles and activities early ensures the right people are trained, resourced, and ready on go-live day. Tip 2: Go-live is not the finish line. It's the beginning of adoption. Have a clear plan for monitoring adoption, addressing issues, and supporting stakeholders in the days and weeks immediately following implementation.	Implementation Guide	Quick How-to-Guide Best Practices Guide: Preparing for a Successful Go-Live Best Practices Guide: Identifying Implementation Support Needs Micro-Training How to Plan and Execute a Successful Implementation
		Tip: Every action item needs an owner and a due date. Without both, it's just a note. Review open action items at the start of every project team meeting to maintain accountability.	Action Item Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example
		Tip: The Workplan is only useful if it's kept current. A stale workplan gives false confidence. Schedule a standing workplan review as part of every project team meeting.	Smartsheet/Google Sheet Project Workplan	Quick How-to-Guide Example Micro-Training How to Maintain and Update Your Project Workplan
		Tip: Don't wait for issues to escalate before involving the Sponsor. Early transparency builds trust and surprises erode it.	Issues & Risks Register	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide
		Tip: Status reports should tell the truth, including when things are behind or at risk. A green status report on a struggling project helps no one.	Project Status Report Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Prepare an Effective Project Status Report
		Tip: As the project progresses from Awareness to Readiness, shift your communication focus accordingly. Stakeholders who understood the vision in early communications now need practical information about what's changing and how to prepare.	Communication Plan Budget Tracking Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Map Communications to the Change Curve
Part 2: PCT Assessment Check-in
	Part 2: Complete PCT Assessment Check-in 1. Administer PCT Assessment: At approximately the midpoint of the Build & Manage phase, after the team has been working together long enough to have a realistic view of project health, administer the PCT Assessment to the project team and Sponsor. Use the same assessment administered during the Kick-Off Meeting in Plan & Prepare to ensure results are comparable. 2. Compare to Baseline: Compare current PCT results to the baseline established at the Kick-Off Meeting. Identify dimensions where scores have improved, remained stable, or declined. 3. Develop Action Plans: For any dimension where scores are low or have declined, develop a targeted action plan to address the root cause. Assign owners and incorporate action plan activities into the Project Workplan. 4. Share Results with Sponsor: Review PCT results and action plans with the Project Sponsor. Low scores in Sponsorship or Change Management dimensions are leadership conversations, not just project team problems.	Tip 1: The PCT Check-in is most valuable when it's honest. Encourage the project team and Sponsor to respond candidly. Scores that look good on paper but don't reflect reality help no one. Tip 2: Administer the PCT Check-in at approximately the midpoint of the Build and Manage phase. Too early and the results won't reflect real project experience. Too late and there won't be enough time to act on what you find. Tip 3: Don't just review the scores, look at the trend. A declining score is more concerning than a low but stable one. Trends tell you whether things are getting better or worse. Tip 4: Low PCT scores are not a sign of failure. They're an early warning system. The purpose of the check-in is to surface problems while there's still time to address them. Tip 5: Always share PCT results with the Sponsor, not just the project team. Sponsorship and change management dimensions are leadership conversations that require Sponsor awareness and action.	PCT Assessment Template	Quick How-to-Guide Example Best Practices Guide Micro-Training How to Interpret PCT Assessment Results

PHASE: Build & Manage

By the end of this phase, the solution is built, stakeholders are prepared, and the project is ready to transition to operations.

Build & Manage Phase Objective

The following activities must be completed during this phase.

Browse the activities below to find guidance, templates, and tools.

ACTIVITY #1: Drive & Manage Change Management Activities

Expected Output

What to Do

Tips

Templates Used

Resources

Building on the draft Change Management Plan developed in Plan & Prepare, fully develop each component:

1. Finalize Communication Plan: Review and finalize all audiences, messages, channels, timing, and owners. Ensure communications continue to map to the change curve and align to the Project Workplan.

2. Develop Resistance Management Plan: Using the initial resistance risks identified in Plan & Prepare, develop detailed mitigation strategies for each risk. Assign owners and incorporate resistance management activities into the Project Workplan.

3. Develop Coaching Plan: Identify who needs coaching support, what coaching is needed, who will deliver it, and when. Incorporate coaching activities into the Project Workplan.

4. Develop Training Plan: Identify all training needed to prepare stakeholders for the change. Define training content, delivery method, audience, timing, and ownership. Incorporate training activities into the Project Workplan.

5. Incorporate into Project Workplan: Ensure all finalized change management activities are reflected in the Project Workplan and resourced appropriately.

Tip: The draft Change Management Plan from Plan & Prepare gives you a head start. Don't start from scratch. Focus on adding detail and depth to what's already there.

Communications Plan

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

Best Practices Guide

Micro-Training

How to Map Communications to the Change Curve

Tip: Resistance management is not a one-time activity. It's an ongoing process. Build regular resistance check-ins into your Project Workplan throughout the Build & Manage phase.

Barrier Point Assessment Template

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

Best Practices Guide

Micro-Training

How to Develop a Resistance Management Plan

Tip: Training and coaching are not the same thing. Training builds knowledge and skills. Coaching builds confidence and commitment. Both are needed for sustainable change.

Coaching Plan Template

Training Plan Template

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

Best Practices Guide

Micro-Training

How to Develop and Deliver an Effective Training Plan

Tip: Every change management activity needs to be in the Project Workplan. If it's not scheduled and resourced alongside project delivery activities, it will get deprioritized when things get busy.

Smartsheet/Google Sheet Project Workplan

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

ACTIVITY #2: Document & Manage Process Changes

Expected Output

What to Do

Tips

Templates Used

Resources

Documented current and future state processes that clearly identify what is changing, how work will be done differently, and what people need to know and be able to do. Serves as the foundation for the Training Plan and ensures process changes are captured before implementation.

1. Identify Process Owner: Identify and confirm the individual responsible for owning the process after the project closes. The Process Owner plays a critical role in ensuring the process is documented accurately and sustained after go-live.

2. Document Current State Process: Map the current state process to establish a clear baseline of how work is done today. Identify inefficiencies, pain points, and areas of impact. Document current and future state processes using your organization's preferred process mapping tool or method.

3. Document Future State Process: Map the future state process to clearly define how work will be done after implementation. Identify the gaps between current and future state. These gaps define what people need to learn and do differently.

4. Integrate into Training Plan: Use the current and future state process maps to inform and update the Training Plan. The gaps between current and future state define the core training content.

5. Incorporate into Project Workplan: Ensure all process documentation and mapping sessions are scheduled and resourced in the Project Workplan.

Tip: The Process Owner should be identified early, before process mapping begins. Without a committed owner, process documentation often becomes a project artifact that no one maintains after go-live.

Process Owner Guide

Guide Document

Best Practices: The Importance and Value of Process Documentation at UC Berkeley

Best Practices: Driving Efficiency. The Power of Process Improvement

Tip 1: Always document the current state before the future state. Without a clear picture of how things work today, it's impossible to fully understand what's changing or design training that addresses the real gaps.

Tip 2 UC Berkeley: Nintex Process Manager is the recommended tool for process documentation at UC Berkeley. It provides a centralized, accessible repository for all process documentation and supports ongoing process management after go-live.

Process Map Template

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

Best Practices

Micro-Training

How to Document Current and Future State Processes

UC Berkeley: Nintex Process Manager Guide

Tip: Use the gaps identified between current and future state processes as the foundation for your training content. If people need to work differently, the process map tells you exactly what they need to learn.

Training Plan Template

Quick How-to-Guide

Example

Best Practices Guide

Micro-Training

How to Develop an Effective Training Plan

Tip 1: Process documentation sessions are often underestimated in terms of time and complexity. Build more time into the Workplan than you think you need. Getting the process right now prevents costly corrections after implementation.

Tip 2: Schedule process mapping sessions as formal meetings with the right stakeholders in the room. The quality of your process documentation depends on who's at the table.

Smartsheet/Google Sheet Workplan

Quick How-to-Guide