Taking a rigorous approach means deliberately and systematically taking a structured process. This helps to achieve high-quality and reliable results.
What is process rigour?
Process rigour is about maintaining clear and flexible processes that put people first and consider all relevant factors on a consistent basis. It is important to know when something is good enough to move to the next stage in your change programme. Process rigour is not about valuing process over people.
How process rigour helps
Enabling better decision-making
You can identify all important factors to consider when making change decisions.
Higher quality work
You can improve the quality of decisions and outcomes at each step of the change process.
Continuous learning
You can gather information needed to learn and adjust as you go through the process of change.
Increased flexibility
You can enable change to be more flexible and adapt as circumstances shift.
Faster progress
You can increase the pace of work by helping teams get things right quicker.
To build process rigour into your change programme, consider whether you have the foundations across the essential areas below.
Governance in change
Do you have governance in your change programme that creates momentum for change while providing appropriate oversight?
Change works best when people and teams feel empowered. The team are more likely to take charge and aim for better results through change. Supporting this means governance processes that:
- ensure suitable oversight and transparency in decision-making
- create change and not inactivity
Measurement, monitoring and evaluation
Do you have the right information and insights to guide your change programme?
Measurement, monitoring, and evaluation help to understand what is happening. They show how effective the work is and guide learning to improve our services.
Being curious about what data and information is telling you helps you to navigate what changes are needed, and how well your change efforts are going.
The power of good project management
Do you have the right project management resource and processes in place to add rigour to your change programme?
Project management is essential to ensuring process rigour when making a change. It ensures that the steps of change happen and that important factors are considered.
Being curious about what data and information is telling you helps you to navigate what changes are needed, and how well your change efforts are going.
The power of good commissioning
Do you have the right commissioning arrangements in place to implement your change?
How we commission plays an important role. It helps unite services from the public, third, and independent sectors to meet people’s needs. Effective commissioning reduces inequalities and helps us respond with flexibility to complex needs. This approach also supports effective prevention and early intervention.
