Module 4: Applying
Welcome to Module 4 the final module in this course. In this module you will pull together all your learning from the course so far to apply them to a real project you are managing, with feedback from peers.
This Module will help you:
- Address practical issues in project management related to climate change
- Identify and address potential issues in communicating about and getting buy-in to your project’s climate change response
- Gain practice in applying a climate change lens to your own project. You will also identify potential issues in communicating about and getting buy-in to your project’s climate change response.
Readings & Resources
Required reading for Module 4 activities – also included in course content
Article on change management and the ADKAR model, https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/the-what-why-and-how-of-change-management
Being an Effective Change Agent: A Guide (2016) Stephanie Bertels, Jess Schulschenk, Andrea Ferry, Vanvessa Otto-Mentz, Esther Speck https://embeddingproject.org/resources/being-an-effective-change-agent
Guidance on how to build a business case for climate change adaptation: Lessons from coastal Australia (2018), Coast Adapt, Department of the Environment and Energy, Australia
https://coastadapt.com.au/how-develop-business-case (includes business plan template)
Required for all modules:
In Module 4 we will look at change management and business case approaches that can help you gain support for addressing climate change in your project planning. We will apply these insights to Smoky River Transit in a final Discussion Forum and to your own project in a Google doc. For our final Collaborate session, Robert Siddall will join us live to take your questions.
Activities in this module include:
4.1 Video and readings about making the case for a new lens on project management
4.2 Discussion: Smoky River Transit
4.3 Application to your own project (Google doc)
4.4 Synchronous Discussion
4.5 Course wrap and celebration
4.1 Making the case for a new lens on project management
Project managers who see the benefit of including climate change considerations in their planning, may encounter obstacles in the form of colleagues, bosses, stakeholders and others who do not see the need for it. These groups or individuals may be reluctant because they are concerned about delays or extra costs or they may not believe the benefits will outweigh the costs.
Introducing climate change perspectives to an established way of working may require a change management approach.
It may also require new business case tools that integrate climate change thinking.
Watch video interview 4 with Robert Siddall – Question: What is the most useful thing project managers can do to ensure organizational support for a climate change lens on project management?
Video: Interview 4 with Robert Siddall
Read:
- Article on change management and the ADKAR model, https://www.prosci.com/resources/articles/the-what-why-and-how-of-change-management
- Being an Effective Change Agent: A Guide (2016) Stephanie Bertels, Jess Schulschenk, Andrea Ferry, Vanvessa Otto-Mentz, Esther Speck https://embeddingproject.org/resources/being-an-effective-change-agent
- You can also explore this guide from Australia:
- Guidance on how to build a business case for climate change adaptation: Lessons from coastal Australia (2018), Coast Adapt, Department of the Environment and Energy, Australiahttps://coastadapt.com.au/how-develop-business-case (includes business plan template)
Once you’ve absorbed enough of these resources, move on to apply them to the Smoky River Transit case study.
4.2 Discussion: Smoky River Transit
4.2 Smoky River Transit (Discussion Forum)
Refresh your memory of the Smoky River Transit Case
Reflect on what Hazel might need to do to build organizational support for a climate change lens on the new transit line project
You’ve learned some approaches and tried them out on Smoky River Transit. Now it’s time to apply them to your own project and get helpful suggestions from your peers.
Contribute to this Google Doc.
<note to instructor: create a google doc with the following>:
| Project name or nickname | Description max 20 words | Biggest climate change risks (max 3) | Vulnerable stakeholders (max 3) |
Biggest anticipated challenge | One thing you can do to address climate change | Peer Suggestions |
You will complete the first six columns for one project. One row per project.
In the final column, peers may suggest ideas to overcome your biggest challenge and additional things you can do to address climate change for this project.
4.5 Course Wrap and Celebration
Congratulations on completing Project Management for a Changing Climate! You’ve completed all Modules of this course.
You’ve learned some new perspectives, gained insight to stakeholder engagement, adapted project management approaches, discovered climate change tools, and found ways to build support for your climate change lens. You’ve applied your learning to a case study and then to a real project.
This is a good time to look back and reflect on what you’ve learned and think about what you want to do next.
Our final Padlet provides an opportunity to share your learning highlight, to signal your next move and to support your new friends in their journey.