How the Prosci Proxima Tool Supports Successful Change

The discipline of change management attracts high performers who want to help others by preparing and equipping people for success during times of change. With so much to do and so much at stake, we can sometimes feel like we need to do everything perfectly to get things right.

Fortunately, achieving change success does not require perfection, even when the stakes are high. Yes, it does require applying a reliable methodology, credible research, change management best practices, and a structured approach. Yes, this is easier said than done. But Prosci's Proxima learning tool can do the heavy lifting for you.

What Is the Prosci Proxima Learning Tool?

Proxima is your digital guide to managing change throughout a project or initiative. A cloud-based, web application tool that guides you through the Prosci Methodology, Proxima supports you as you focus on the people side of change throughout a project or initiative. Part of the Prosci Hub Solution Suite Prosci developed to support enhancements to the Prosci Methodology in 2021, Proxima follows a structured, adaptable and repeatable approach, and delivers the key Prosci insights and resources you need to enable greater change success and deliver value to your organization.

Tips for Using Prosci Proxima in Change Management Projects

To get the most from Prosci's Proxima software, especially while you're learning, these tips can help you really focus and improve your practice of change management:

1. Lean into the Proxima tool from the beginning

Prosci’s Change Management Certification Program guide includes a handy checklist for the 16 or so steps that we need to do while in class. But human beings are creatures of habit. If you take shortcuts or cling to former “successful” habits, you can skim over Proxima and never really learn how to use it to your advantage. During training programs, I focus on helping attendees use and see the benefits of Proxima from the start. It is so intuitive and thorough. Following the navigation pane on the left-hand side actually guides you through your project in a particular order and helps you develop the patience and timing you need to manage change well.

2. Follow change management best practices automatically

The Prosci Methodology and Proxima bring the Best Practices in Change Management to life for you. If you follow the prescribed path and incorporate the guidance offered, you are bringing best practices to your change management work and organization, no matter what level of support your project needs. No extra research required. Proxima is not just a convenient digital tool. It’s supporting your application of the overall Prosci Methodology, which comes from our decades of global research and best practices. Proxima is the Prosci Methodology. They can’t be separated. The tool enables you to bring change management best practices to life at the right time and in the right places. And Prosci is always updating the Proxima web application, adding helpful new features, improving tool performance, and connecting you in more efficient ways to the research and practical tips that enhance your change management practice.   

3. Step back and see the big picture

Following the steps in Proxima streamlines your approach and frees up brain power, so you can step back and see the bigger picture of your project. No matter what your change is, no matter what your project is, seeing the broader perspective is your goal and your role as a change practitioner. You need to keep an eye out for what's going on overall with your change. Having Proxima gives you the space to be able to watch for where the resistance may be cropping up. Or to think about where you need to adapt your change management plans when something is not landing as intended. As practitioners, we can get too focused on a specific change management tactic and get too attached to making that tactic work. But it's not about that tactic. It's about helping to ensure your stakeholders' adoption and usage.

4. Make Proxima your change project home

The Proxima web application is where you do the main work of change management. When you follow Proxima, it asks you all the questions you need to get answers to by talking to impacted people and teams. Then, Proxima provides a place to document, store and organize all that critical information. When you use the tool, you can tell your story of change clearly, concisely and consistently. This is so important because story telling is the art behind a great change strategy. Proxima also enables you to collaborate on projects with others on your change team, so you all stay on the same page.

5. Use the plain language questions

The Prosci Methodology comes with a specific set of plain language questions designed to enable you to tell the story of your project. When you are learning Proxima, spend some time understanding them in depth. You can use these questions as your change management strategy because answering each will move you through to the next step. So, get comfortable with the plain language questions. They’re so much more than they appear.

Let Prosci Proxima Do the Work of Change Management

Proxima is designed to help you be effective, efficient and well informed, so you can manage change using world-class best practices and research. Everything in Proxima is there for a reason. If something feels foreign, that’s your cue to get curious because it’s there to help you in some way. When you follow the navigation, apply the plain language questions, and leverage all the digital resources and tips, you let Proxima do the heavy lifting—so you can focus on bringing your changes to life and grow in your practice of change management. Perfection not required.