Lewin’s Change Management Model Process Checklist

Lewin’s Change Management Model Process Checklist splits the process of change into three stages, which account for both the processes and the people of a company.

Lewin’s Change Management Model: An introduction

Lewin’s change management model was developed by Kurt Lewin in 1940. It is one of the most popular approaches to dealing with change. The model splits change up into three stages. In essence, the model breaks change up into bitesize chunks accounting for both processes and people. 

The 3 stages in this model are:

• Stage 1: Unfreeze
• Stage 2: Make changes
• Stage 3: Refreeze

The model explains that there different forces influencing organizational balance and change. These forces are known as driving forces and restraining forces. When these forces are balanced in equilibrium, the organization does not change. To introduce change into this balanced system, driving forces need to be boosted and restraining forces need to be alleviated.

What’s good about it

Lewin’s model is great to implement when big company-wide changes are needed. The method is notable for uncovering hidden mistakes as every aspect of whatever you are changing can be analyzed.

What’s bad about it

The unfreezing process operates on a large scale, meaning that Lewin’s model can be difficult and time-consuming to enact. This isn’t an issue when the changes to be implemented are large and so require a chunky time-investment. It is an issue though if you are dealing with smaller change.

Supporting massive change, there is the risk of alienating employees via drastically impacting their workflow. You need to be especially careful when bringing employees on board and maintaining enthusiasm during the unfreezing stage.

How to use this checklist

At the beginning of this checklist, you will be presented with a set of specialized questions given as form fields. You are required to populate each form field with your data.

The checklist is broken down into the three stages of Lewin’s Change Management Mode:

• Stage 1: Unfreeze
• Stage 2: Make changes
• Stage 3: Refreeze

At the end of each stage, your supervisor/manager will review your work using Process Street’s approvals feature. Features used in this template include: 

• Stop tasks – To ensure task order.
• Dynamic due dates – To make sure your initiative is reviewed on time.
• Role assignment – To delegate tasks within your team ensuring your supervisors is appropriately assigned to the review tasks.
• Approvals – Tasks can be accepted, rejected and rejected with comments.

In this Lewin’s Change Management Model Process Checklist, you will be presented with the following form fields for which you are required to populate with your specific data. More information for each form field type is provided via linkage to our help pages:

• Subtasks 
• Long text
• Short text 
• Date
• Approvals
• Website form field
• File upload form field
• Role assignments

Let’s start by recording your business details, your details, and the details of your supervisor or manager.

This is a stop task, meaning you cannot progress in this template until the required form fields are populated.

Business details

Your details

Details of Manager/Supervisor

Checklist details

Once set, the due dates for each phase in this Lewin’s Change Management Model Process Checklist will be used to set a dynamic due date, notifying your manager for the needed stage approval when required.

To begin this Lewin’s Change Management Model Process Checklist, take the time to give a summary overview of the changes you intend to implement and explain why you want to implement these changes.

Next, consider potential roadblocks you could encounter during the implementation of change. Summarize how you intend to remove these roadblocks.

Use the long-text form fields to detail this information

Unfreezing involves:

• The creation of a sense of urgency

• Formation of coalitions

• Vision and strategy development

Once it has been recognized that a company-wide change is needed, the first step is to unfreeze current processes, taking a look at how things are done.

This is about analyzing every step and human interaction for potential improvements.

Begin by defining the overarching change needed using our long-text form field below.

Next, you need to identify the processes that will be impacted by this change. These are the processes that you need to unfreeze.

Use the long-text form field to identify the business processes you want to unfreeze.

The best way to define the business processes to be unfrozen is to make sure these processes are documented. To find out how and why you should document your processes read: How and Why to Document Your Workflows

You need to visualize your documented processes so you can analyze every step. When analyzing each step, take into account human interactions for potential improvements. It is important to go in-depth to unearth all areas in need of improvement.

You can use the long text form field below to identify and document areas in need of improvement.

There will be a natural resilience to most proposed changes. The unfreezing stage targets this resilience.

You do not want to force sudden change.

To implement the changes needed, workforce mentality towards your traditional approaches needs to be cleared.

Select a date for this stage 1  using our date form field. This will utilize our dynamic due date feature, pinging you and the participating members a reminder a day before the meeting.

There is also an option to select the participants to attend this meeting using our members form field.

Once you have scheduled the stage 1 meeting, the next stage is to plan this meeting, to make sure all bases are covered.

You are presented with our long text form fields to guide you through this planning stage:

1. Define what is wrong with current processes.
2. Explain the changes suggested.
3. Identify the benefits these changes will bring.

Use the long-text form fields provided to note down the above. This information is to be communicated in the stage 1 meeting.

By communicating a change need, change is encouraged within your team.

It is now time to run the stage 1 meeting.

This is a stop task meaning you cannot progress in this template until the stage 1 meeting is complete.

Change involves:

• Communication of visions

• Implementation of changes

• Realization of quick-wins

During the change phase, fresh practices and ideas are exercised.

In this phase, you will assist the workers to believe in the course. However, negative emotions can arise within your team, which you need to be aware of, such as:

Make sure you practice the following:

The stage 1 meeting would have prepared everyone for the deployment of change.

Stage 2 is all about implementing change, guiding your team as they adapt.

Communication, education, and support are vital during this stage. You want to limit difficulties during the transition and address problems as soon as they arise.

Education

Let’s first focus on how you will educate your team, to set up a strong knowledge base on which to build change.

For instance, if you are switching to new technology, how will you educate your team on how to use it?

If you are implementing a new marketing policy, how will you educate your team on how to use it?

Use the long text form field to document how you will educate your team to implement the needed changes.

Support

Next, you need to ensure everyone has a place or person to go to for support on the topic.

This could be a regular meeting, a knowledge base, or a mentor.

Use the long-text form field to detail the support your will offer during the change period.

Communication

Finally, you need to be communicating regularly with all team members, or at least making sure your managers are.

During this communication phase, listen to feedback, identify issues that might be arising during this change period.

The best way to do this is to set up a meeting. Dedicate this meeting to gathering feedback, issues, and concerns from those affected by the changes made.

The stage 2 meeting is a vital part of communicating change within your team. Place a strong focus on listening to feedback, issues, and concerns given by your team.

Use the long text form field below to details the feedback given.

Refreezing/stabilizing involves:

• Consolidation of results

• Embracement of success in the company’s culture

Use the subtask form field below to make sure you have completed everything before moving onto the refreezing stage.

This is a stop task, meaning you cannot progress in this checklist until all subtasks have been completed.

The refreeze stage of Lewin’s change management model solidifies the changes made, preventing old habits from re-surfacing.

Regular reviews are part of this refreezing process, to check the new methods are being followed.

Rewards are a great way to maintain drive and enthusiasm towards the changes made.

Use the long text form field below to summarize the reward scheme you will implement.

If you have listened to and applied the feedback given, re-freezing the changes made will be easier as your employees will be more invested in the changes. Because they helped shape them they would also feel an inclination for them to succeed.

Check your documented processes

Documented processes subject to the change were identified at the beginning of this process:

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Go through these processes to:

There is no set time before the re-freezing stage will be complete. As long as you keep measuring and reinforcing the new state of things.

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