UofG Change Framework and Toolkit
As a world changing university, we are committed to continually improving and transforming how we approach research, teaching, impact and operations.
The UofG Change Framework and Toolkit is designed to support you in planning, reflecting on and delivering change. It brings together simple, practical tools to help you lead yourself and your teams through change with confidence and clarity.
Whether the change you are working on is large or small, the framework provides clear and collaborative approach to navigating key steps and considerations. This helps to ensure successful and sustainable outcomes aligned to our world changing ambitions.
Please note: if you anticipate that your proposed change may affect employment, contracts and/or terms of conditions of staff, please contact your local People & OD Business Partner for specialist advice or visit our Management of Organisational Change page.
UofG Change Framework
The UofG Change Framework is grounded in research, practical application, and experience, recognising that change is rarely linear. Rather than a single, fixed process, it breaks change into manageable phases that help structure thinking and action.
The framework identifies four core phases in any change journey:
- Phase 1: Make it Essential - This phase focuses on creating a sense of purpose and urgency by sharing the vision, creating interest, and beginning to build confidence in the change.
- Phase 2: Make it Ready - Here, the focus is on building momentum, understanding local change needs and developing the capability and readiness needed to deliver the change.
- Phase 3: Make it Happen - This phase is about putting the change into action, implementing plans, monitoring impact, and responding flexibly as learning emerges.
- Phase 4: Make it Stick - This final phase focuses on sustaining the change by embedding new ways of working, providing ongoing support and reflecting on lessons learned to inform future change.
While these phases provide structure, successful change is about more than applying tools or following guidelines. At its heart, change is about people and how they experience, understand and adopt what is changing.
That is why the framework highlights three critical forces that influence every phase. These forces run throughout the change journey and require continual attention, with emphasis adjusted to suit the needs of each phase.
The three forces of change:
- Driving [Head]: Focuses on clarity, structure and direction. This includes the rationale for change, governance, plans, processes, and decision-making, the technical foundations that underpins each phase.
- Releasing [Heart]: Focuses on engagement and motivation. This includes creating understanding, building commitment, addressing concerns, and enabling colleagues to feel involved and supported through change.
- Enabling [Hands]: Focuses on capability and delivery. This includes developing skills, knowledge, confidence and practical support needed to work in new ways and realise the benefits of change.
Using the Framework
How you apply the framework will vary depending on the type of change you are leading. Factors such as scale, complexity and context will influence which elements require greater focus and how deeply each phase needs to be explored.
For this reason, the UofG Change Framework should not be seen as a checklist or a linear process. Instead, it is a prompt and a guide, supporting you to navigate change thoughtfully, while being flexible and collaborative.
Identifying where you are in the process
Identifying which change phase you are in, can help guide you through the process and help you access the most relevant information and resources.
You are just at the beginning. You know that something needs to change or perhaps, has to change. Asking the right questions from the outset and having real clarity on why, who, how and what, significantly increases the likelihood of an impactful change
You know why a change needs to happen, who needs to be involved and how, in theory, you’re going to go about doing it. This phase is about exploring and identifying what steps we need to take, what the actual change is likely to be and how we might manage that transition.
You know why, how and what you are going to change. This phase is about implementation and delivery.
The change has gone live! Just because a change has been delivered, it doesn’t mean your change process is finished. This last phase ensures that you are able to realise all the benefits that you had set out and hoped to achieve through the change.
Phase 1: Make it essential
This phase looks to create a ‘buzz’, share the vision & begin to build interest and confidence.
Phase 2: Make it ready
This phase seeks to build momentum, identify local change needs & build delivery capability.
Phase 3: Make it happen
This phase is all about making the change, monitoring the impact & being responsive.
Phase 4: Make it stick
This phase will ensure lessons are learnt, continually improving ways of working & provide ongoing support.
A-Z of Tools
Do already know what tool or template you need? We've made it easy for you- just browse through our list to find what you need.
If you have any questions, feedback or ideas about tools we should have on our list, please let us know.
Develop your skills
There are a number of ways to further develop your knowledge and skills around change
- Develop your skills through formal development
- Connect to colleagues to develop your practice
- Dive into related theory and practice
Contact us
Can’t find what you’re looking for or need access to specialist support? Please reach out to us.