Executive Summary
I am requesting approval to use the remaining training budget for 2025 to attend the Agile Change Agent course from Capability for Change. This course offers a comprehensive, practical approach to planning, implementing, and embedding organisational change using agile principles and change management best practices.
With our organisation currently navigating significant transformation initiatives, mastering the ability to scope, plan, and deliver change using agile methods of incremental and iterative delivery will enable me to create more effective change roadmaps, engage stakeholders more successfully, and accelerate the realisation of benefits. This training represents a strategic investment that will deliver immediate and measurable returns through improved change outcomes.
Why Agile Change Agent?
Practical Application Without Prerequisites
The Agile Change Agent course is designed for anyone experiencing change at work, with no prior knowledge of agile methods or change management techniques required. The course focuses on how to do things, not theoretical knowledge, making it immediately applicable to real-world situations. This practical approach means I can start applying techniques during the course and continue using them afterwards.
The course is taught directly by Melanie Franklin, who authored both the book and the certification on which the course is based. As the scheme owner and chief examiner for APMG International, Melanie has unique insight into the content and can provide direct, precise explanations with real-life examples from her extensive consulting work.
Contents
The course covers five key elements that develop the ability to scope, plan, implement, and embed new ways of working:
- Concepts – Understanding how agile principles and change management best practices combine to enable an agile approach to change initiatives
- Roadmap – Developing a simple, effective roadmap that defines how and when work will be completed and benefits will be realised
- Business need – Using techniques to identify change benefits, enabling prioritisation of work and motivation for adoption
- Relationship building – Identifying personal working preferences and understanding different perspectives to engage effectively with others
- Environment – Learning to create an atmosphere that builds empathy and supports people as they adapt to new ways of working
Expected Outcomes
Personal Development
- Globally recognised certification demonstrating understanding of how to plan and deliver change using agile principles of incremental and iterative delivery
- Comprehensive understanding of agile change management concepts without requiring prior knowledge
- Enhanced capability to create roadmaps for change initiatives and communicate them effectively to stakeholders
- Practical techniques for identifying benefits, prioritising work, and engaging stakeholders
- Continued professional development through free access to online group coaching sessions, community events, and guest membership of the ChangeabilityPro® learning platform
Organisational Benefits
- Faster benefit realisation – By creating clear roadmaps that show how and when benefits will be realised, we can accelerate value delivery from our change initiatives
- Better prioritisation – Techniques for identifying and prioritising benefits will ensure we focus on high-value work that delivers the greatest return
- Improved stakeholder engagement – Understanding different working styles and preferences will enable more effective communication and engagement with stakeholders at all levels
- Increased adoption – By creating an environment that builds empathy and supports people through change, we will achieve higher rates of adoption and sustainability
- Integration with project delivery – Learning how to integrate change management with project, program, and portfolio management will improve coordination across initiatives
- Reduced resistance – Practical techniques for building productive, respectful relationships will help overcome resistance and increase willingness to participate in change
- Knowledge sharing – The techniques and concepts I learn can be shared with colleagues, multiplying the benefit across the organisation without additional investment
Return on Investment
Cost Avoidance
- Reduced time spent on poorly planned change initiatives that fail to deliver benefits
- Fewer mistakes by using proven agile change management techniques rather than trial and error
- Prevention of change initiative failure due to poor stakeholder engagement or unclear benefit articulation
- Reduced rework by creating clear roadmaps that define how and when work will be completed
Value Creation
- Earlier realisation of benefits through effective road mapping and prioritisation
- Greater return on investment from change initiatives through improved adoption and sustainability
- Enhanced team capability as I share agile change management techniques with colleagues
- Improved decision-making through understanding of working preferences and relationship-building techniques
- Better integration between change initiatives and project delivery, reducing duplication and improving coordination
- Ongoing learning support through free access to coaching sessions and community resources
Why Invest Now?
- Strategic timing – Using remaining 2025 budget ensures we don’t lose allocated training funds while gaining skills immediately applicable to current initiatives
- Virtual delivery – Hosted on Microsoft Teams, the course requires no travel costs or time away from the office
- Highly interactive format – Working in pairs, small groups, and whole group discussions ensures practical application throughout the course
- Excellent track record – The course has excellent attendee feedback and a high pass rate for examinations
- Expert instruction – Taught by Melanie Franklin, an internationally recognised expert in agile change management with extensive practical experience
- No prerequisites – The course assumes no prior knowledge of agile methods or change management, making it accessible while still valuable for experienced practitioners
- Comprehensive learning materials – Includes pre-course materials with e-book, interactive quizzes, practical activities, and access to the ChangeabilityPro® learning platform
Conclusion
The Agile Change Agent course represents a strategic investment in capability that will deliver immediate and measurable returns. By learning how to scope, plan, and deliver change using agile principles of incremental and iterative delivery, I will be able to create more effective change roadmaps, engage stakeholders more successfully, prioritise work based on business value, and accelerate the realisation of benefits from our transformation initiatives.
This training is practical and application-focused, with no theoretical knowledge weighing down the learning. The course is taught by the author of the book and certification, ensuring the highest quality instruction and direct insight into how to apply these techniques in real-world situations. The practical skills I will gain can be immediately applied to our current initiatives and shared with colleagues, multiplying the value of this investment across the organisation.
Whether working as a change manager, project manager, business analyst, or in any role experiencing change at work, this course provides the essential techniques needed to monitor, manage, and successfully deliver organisational change. The combination of agile principles and change management best practices will enable me to contribute more effectively to our organisation’s ongoing transformation efforts.
I respectfully request approval to use the remaining 2025 training budget to enrol in this course and develop these critical capabilities for our organisation’s ongoing transformation efforts.
