Change Acceleration Process (CAP)

The change Acceleration Process is a well-known strategy to implement change in any organization quickly. We’ll discuss the benefits of CAP and how it can help your company.

What is the Change Acceleration Program (CAP)?

GE created Work-Out, a program that empowered employees and encouraged team-based problem-solving in 1989-1990. This approach was inspired by the Japanese Quality Circles that were popular then. Although Work-Out was a success, Jack Welch (GE CEO) was unhappy with the slow pace at which it was being implemented. Welch hired a team to study best practices in change management within academia and industry.

The Change Acceleration Procedure, also known as Change Acceleration Process, was created.

Consultants learned that a strong technical solution was not a guarantee of success. Failures were often caused by cultural and human issues, rather than technical problems.

This insight led to the Change Effectiveness Equation QxA=E. In this equation effectiveness (E) of any project equals quality (Q) technical solution times acceptance (A) solution by people involved in the process.

This is a discussion on the seven steps in the model to move from the current state through the transition state to the improved state.

  1. Leading Change: The leadership of an organization must show a strong commitment to support change. If the leadership is not committed to the change initiative, there is a high risk of failure.
  2. Sharing a common need: It is essential that everyone sees the need to change in order for it be accepted and implemented. The reasons must be convincing and can resonate with everyone within the organization, not only the leadership team.
  3. Creating a vision. Leaders must have a clear vision about the organisation’s impact after a successful transformation. It is important to clearly understand the desired outcome, give real reasons and be widely accepted.
  4. Building momentum towards the need to change: After the three initial steps have been taken, it is time to mobilize commitment. This should include engaging, identifying and planning for the changes that are needed.
  5. Making the change last: This is where the challenge lies in maintaining the gains. This is where you learn from your mistakes and adjust the initiative as needed. Finally, transform the change into how things are done here. This will make the change more permanent, and help to sustain it.
  6. Monitoring progress: Keeping track of how the change initiative is progressing and celebrating when it’s successful will help to cement the organizational change. You should establish benchmarks and be able to measure their success regularly and objectively.
  7. Changing structures and systems: In order to make the change permanent, infrastructure must be in place. If your current infrastructure (IT systems, HR policies, organizational design, etc.) If your current infrastructure (IT systems, HR policies, organizational design, etc.) was designed to support the past state of the organization’s previous status, it must be updated to accommodate the future vision.