Digital by default, with fewer than 3% opting out.
A private career college was changing a student policy: every student would get a free eTextbook, and print would become an extra purchase. It needed a communication and training strategy that worked across departments. Digineer built and ran it, and fewer than 3% of students bought print when 15% had been forecast.
At a glance
- Client
- A private career college
- Program
- Default switch from print textbooks to eTextbooks
- Scale
- Multiple departments; 7 work streams
- Engagement
- Change, program and project management consulting
- Capability
- Organizational Effectiveness & Change Readiness · Transformation & Value Management
The situation
A policy change every student would feel
College administrators wanted digital content to be the norm for course materials instead of printed textbooks. Students had been able to exchange an eTextbook for a free printed copy. Under the new policy, they would receive a free eTextbook and could buy a printed copy if they wanted one.
A change that size touches students, faculty and staff at once. The college needed a partner with change management expertise to create, implement and sustain a systematic communication and training strategy across departments, while keeping the student and faculty experience strong.
Warning signs
- A policy change reaching every student
- Many departments that had to move together
- An expected jump in help desk calls
- Concern that drop rates would rise
- A forecast that 15% of students would choose print
What we did
Put people first, then manage the plan
Digineer combined change management, program management and project management. Together with the college, it built one training and communication strategy, then managed its execution across every work stream.
A change plan for each work stream
The strategy set out a change management plan for 7 work streams, so each group knew what was changing and what it had to do.
250+ tasks, managed to completion
Digineer managed the execution and facilitation of more than 250 training, communication and mentoring tasks, and kept program scope aligned with the college’s strategic objectives.
Help where people look for it
The team created a knowledge base on digital content for both audiences: a SharePoint site for employees and a website for students. It received thousands of clicks within a few weeks.
The outcome
Fewer opt-outs and fewer calls than planned
Under 3% chose print
Fewer than 3% of students bought a supplemental print option for their course materials, when initial predictions had that number at 15%.
870 calls, not 1,800
The team expected at least 1,800 help desk calls and received 870, the lowest call volume for a change of this magnitude.
A change discipline that stays
The college introduced a viable change management discipline, and cross-functional teamwork brought the college and its IT and marketing division closer together.
Leaders who run projects differently
Senior leadership began thinking differently about strategic projects, with a better understanding of the need for strong project management roles and for strategy and portfolio management.
“It is clear that Digineer cares about each individual client and nimbly works to identify both the true needs of the organization and the next steps necessary to achieve results.”
The college
Organizational change management
Changing a policy everyone will feel?
Digineer plans the change around the people it affects, then manages every communication, training and support task until it lands.
Client name withheld for confidentiality.