What is Management of Change (MOC)?
For us, MOC is a systematic approach to managing organisational change, tailored to maintaining operational and workplace safety during critical transitions. MOC has traditionally been associated with industrial operations. However, its principles are highly relevant to many sectors, including healthcare, finance, technology, and logistics. As an IT partner, we aim to ensure the integrity and stability of processes when new technology solutions or workflows are implemented.
Purpose and industry relevance.
In some industries, MOC is mandatory. For example organisations that adhere to ISO 9001 or ISO 45001 standards. Even outside these regulated industries, MOC provides a proven framework for the safe and smooth introduction of change. This reduces potential risks during the implementation phase.
Key aspects of MOC.
MOC focuses on mitigating operational risks to prevent accidents or disruptions through thorough planning, control of the change process and structured change management.
Risk
identification
It is essential for any change initiative to anticipate potential problems, such as data integrity risks or user disruption.
Comprehensive approval process
MOC includes customisable, risk-based review workflows. Complex changes are subject to deeper analysis and scrutiny.
Safety first
approach
No change should proceed if it poses unmanageable risks. Protecting operational integrity and compliance is paramount.
Types of change that trigger MOC.
Some of the more common examples in our context might include:
- Technical adjustments: Changing core software applications, integrating new systems or updating critical infrastructure.
- Operational changes: Updates to process workflows, task automation, or new procedures that affect user access or interaction.
- Staffing changes: Changes in team structures or responsibilities that may have an impact on project delivery and require clear communication and training.
MOC implementation in our work.
We follow a structured approach to MOC. This can be outlined in the following steps:
Assess feasibility: Confirmation that the proposed change is in line with your operational capabilities and resources.
Thoroughly assess risks: Perform a risk assessment that includes data, process and user impact. Balance the potential benefits against the risks.
Conduct a pre-safety startup review: Before deploying a change, ensure that all risk mitigations are in place and confirmed.
Monitor and adapt: Collect post-implementation feedback to make adjustments as needed. This will improve long-term operational stability.