Power in the Process: Tactics to Enacting Change at Your Institution

Concurrent Session 6
Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

This presentation aims to explore the use of a change management model to increase digital accessibility at a university. The ADKAR model will be applied to identify barriers and facilitate the adoption of best practices in creating digitally accessible learning content. The session will provide insights and practical strategies for universities to enact change, no matter the size. Participants will use the ADKAR model to create action plans for their teams and/or institutions, either within the area of digital accessibility, or beyond.

Presenters

Extended Abstract

Introduction 

The digital age has brought about an immense transformation in higher education, with digital technologies being used in all aspects of university operations, from teaching and learning to research and administration. While these technologies have brought about numerous benefits, they have also created new challenges in terms of accessibility for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. To address this issue, universities need to adopt effective change management strategies that promote the adoption of accessible technologies. In this extended abstract, we will discuss the application of the ADKAR model of change management to increase digital accessibility at our university and walk participants through the model to plan for upcoming changes at their own organizations. 

During this presentation, participants will: 

  • Identify components of the ADKAR method of change management 

  • Identify the common barriers to digital accessibility and strategies to overcome them using the ADKAR model. 

  • Develop an action plan to implement change initiatives at their universities using the ADKAR model. 

  • Discuss methods to create a culture of awareness and continuous improvement for current initiatives they are enacting. 

Digital Accessibility in Higher Education 

Digital accessibility refers to the design of digital products, services, and content that are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. The importance of digital accessibility in higher education cannot be overstated, as universities have a legal and ethical obligation to ensure that their digital offerings are accessible to all students, faculty, and staff. The failure to provide accessible digital content not only violates federal laws and regulations but also deprives students and employees with disabilities of equal access to educational opportunities and employment. At our university, we began working toward a digitally inclusive campus in 2019. Since then, we have gained traction through strategic practices that build awareness, urgency, and self-efficacy among our faculty and staff. Throughout the session, we will use examples used within our digital accessibility change efforts, while also opening the floor to using ADKAR in support of other initiatives.

Change Management Tactics 

Change management is a structured approach to managing the people side of organizational change to achieve the desired outcomes. At Our university, we use the ADKAR model of change management, a widely used framework that helps individuals and organizations navigate change and overcome resistance. ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. It provides a structured approach to understanding the stages of change and the critical factors that must be addressed to ensure successful change adoption. 

In our presentation, we will discuss the application of the ADKAR model to increase digital accessibility at our university. We will discuss the five stages of the ADKAR model and how they can be applied to increase digital accessibility. We will also provide examples of successful change management tactics that have used the ADKAR model to increase digital accessibility. Throughout the session, participants will be guided through their own ADKAR action plan. As each phase of the model is introduced and discussed, participants will note methods and tactics they can take back to their teams to kick off their own change efforts.  

Barriers to Change 

While the ADKAR model provides a structured approach to implementing change, there are still common barriers that can impede progress. These barriers can include resistance to change, lack of resources, inadequate communication, and conflicting priorities. It's important to address these barriers proactively to ensure the success of change initiatives. 

In the presentation, we will address these barriers by incorporating a discussion on common barriers to change during the practice exercise and application activity. Within their action plans, participants will be encouraged to identify and address potential barriers to their own change initiatives using the ADKAR model. Additionally, we will provide guidance on how to address common barriers to change, such as engaging stakeholders early in the change process, providing clear and consistent communication, and allocating resources effectively. We will also provide examples of successful change initiatives that have overcome common barriers to change. 

The Five Stages of the ADKAR Model: 

Awareness: 

The first stage of the ADKAR model is awareness, which involves creating an understanding of why change is necessary. In the context of digital accessibility, awareness involves educating university stakeholders - leadership and faculty - about the importance of digital accessibility and the impact of inaccessible digital content on students and employees with disabilities.  

In the conference session, participants will identify the desired reality they will achieve through a successful change initiative. By stating the desired vision for their teams and/or organizations, they will be setting a foundation of why the change is important in the first place, a key step to an effective awareness campaign. 

Questions to Consider: 

  • Describe the problem that the change is being designed to solve 

  • What are some examples of triggers that could create awareness of the need for change within your team or organization? 

  • How can you ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the need for change? 

  • How can you measure the level of awareness among stakeholders? 

Desire: 

The second stage of the ADKAR model is desire, which involves creating a desire among university stakeholders to support the change. At our university, we leveraged desire by creating a sense of urgency among university leaders to adopt accessible digital technologies. This can be achieved through various means, such as highlighting the benefits of accessible digital content, including improved user experience, increased engagement, and reduced legal risks. 

At this time, it became apparent faculty and staff were at varying stages of the ADKAR process and as a team, we needed to support multiple stages concurrently based on individual faculty needs. While ADKAR was initially developed to be a waterfall approach – one step occurring before the other, we realized this is not aligned with the reality at our university. Rather, different groups of faculty and staff were at different stages in their digital accessibility journey. Thus, our office began simultaneous programming and marketing around digital accessibility to meet individuals where they were – whether it be awareness, knowledge, or ability. Change is not a lock-step process. It should not be seen from a whole group perspective, but rather, based on an indidivual person’s experience. 

At this stage of the presentation, participants will break into groups to complete a short stakeholder mapping activity. The purpose of this activity is to identify who needs to be involved in a change effort from the beginning, and who needs to be included as time goes on. Using a matrix-style stakeholder map, participants should come away with an idea of who their champions, helpers, bystanders, and resistors may be. Understanding who their audience contributes greatly to building a desire for change.  

Questions to Consider: 

  • What are some techniques for creating a desire for change among stakeholders? 

  • How can you identify and address resistance to change during the desire phase? 

  • How can you ensure that stakeholders are committed to the change initiative? 

Knowledge: 

In the third stage, our university leveraged teammates who had the necessary knowledge and skills to support the change. This stage involves providing university stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills to support the change. In our case, we per faculty & staff with training and resources on accessible design principles and technologies. This can include training on how to use screen readers, captioning tools, and other assistive technologies.  

At this part of the presentation, will lead a conversation around tactics one can take to build knowledge that supports each participants’ selected change initiative. We will use an online polling tool to collect participant ideas for increase knowledge around a topic. In particular, we will ask participants to consider their learner’s and how they can best distribute key information – audience size, modality, and timeframe. Within their action plans, participants will list the key knowledge and skills their audience will need, as well as strategies they will take to upskill their teams to the desired level of performance.  

Questions to Consider: 

  • What types of knowledge do stakeholders need to successfully implement the change initiative? 

  • How can you provide stakeholders with the knowledge they need to successfully implement the change initiative? 

  • How can you measure the effectiveness of the knowledge transfer during the knowledge phase? 

Ability: 

The fourth stage of the ADKAR model is ability, which involves ensuring that university stakeholders have the ability to implement the change. In the context of digital accessibility, ability involves ensuring that university stakeholders have the necessary tools and resources to create accessible digital content. This can include providing accessibility guidelines, templates, and tools that facilitate the creation of accessible digital content.  

Creating a bridge from knowledge to ability is important to the success of any change effort. Now that presentation participants have identified the skills their teams need, they will determine how they can best support teammates implementing these skills. Through a discussion around barriers to change, participants will identify possible challenges they anticipate and brainstorm solutions to overcoming them. For example, if a key challenge to completing a new skill in their team is related to time constraints, participants can brainstorm strategies to either extending deadlines or modifying deliverables to better fit the new skill.  

Questions to Consider: 

  • What are some techniques for building stakeholders' skills and abilities to implement the change initiative? 

  • How can you identify and address skill gaps among stakeholders during the ability phase? 

  • How can you ensure that stakeholders are fully capable of implementing the change initiative? 

Reinforcement: 

The final stage of the ADKAR model is reinforcement, which involves ensuring that the change is sustained over time. In the context of digital accessibility, reinforcement involves establishing a culture of accessibility that encourages the continuous improvement of digital accessibility. 

At this phase of the presentation, we will emphasize the importance of recognition and ovation to any change initiative. Not only does sharing success stories motivate others to jump aboard the new initiative, but it also allows for sustained interest for those already involved in the new program. As a group, participants will identify strategies they plan to use related to recognition of success, along with other reinforcement tactics.  

Questions to Consider: 

  • How can you measure the effectiveness of the change initiative after it has been implemented? 

  • What are some techniques for reinforcing the change initiative to ensure that it becomes part of the organization's culture? 

  • How can you ensure that stakeholders continue to support the change initiative over time? 

Conclusion 

The ADKAR model of change management provides a useful framework for teams working toward increasing digital accessibility at their university. By following the five stages of the ADKAR model, universities can create awareness, generate desire, provide knowledge, enable ability, and reinforce the adoption of accessible digital technologies. The successful adoption of digital accessibility initiatives can be achieved through the collaboration of university stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Through this approach, our university is creating a culture of accessibility that promotes the continuous improvement of digital accessibility and the fulfillment of legal and ethical obligations to provide equitable access to all individuals. 

Notes to the Committee: 

  • This presentation is designed to compliment the “Empowering Faculty to Create Accesible Learning Environments – Strategies Using the ADKAR Method” Lightning round-style session. 

  • The lightning round presentation is meant to tell the story of our change intiative, whereas this presentation’s purpose is to provide a tactical and hands-on approach to using the ADKAR model of change management.