Changing Software Development: Learning to Become Agile

Chapter 8. Change Models

"My personal law of management, if not of life, is that everything can look like a failure in the middle."

—(Moss Kanter, 1999)

Why discuss change theory? After all, this book is aimed at practitioners who want practical ideas and suggestions. Actually, there are several reasons, some of which were covered in the introduction.

Change is an abstract idea: by looking at models of change we can discuss different aspects of change and common themes in the hope of preparing ourselves for the process. In doing so, the models help set our personal frame of reference. Good theories and models allow us to see the world in a different way. By placing a different lens over our view, we can see things that we couldn't see before.

Examining models allows us to look at new ideas and theories. In doing so, we may come to understand other people better and can think about what we would do in these scenarios. This allows our plans and the planning process to be better informed.

The models given here look at change from different angles and at different depths. They aren't necessarily incompatible: indeed, at different times it can help to view your organization and change progress through the lens of different models.