--- title: Before Your Next Project Kicks Off, Ask These 5 Questions description: Ensure project success by aligning project management and change management. Discover five essential questions to address before starting your next initiative. image: https://levvel.ca/hubfs/Copy%20of%202026-09%20Blog%20(1)-png.png --- [Skip to content](https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions#main-content) [![L\_Levvel\_TAG\_Orange\_RGB](https://levvel.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Levvel%20Logos/L_Levvel_TAG_Orange_RGB.png?width=200&height=75&name=L_Levvel_TAG_Orange_RGB.png)](https://levvel.ca/) - [OCM Solutions](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-solutions) Show submenu for OCM Solutions - [Services](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-services) - [Assessments](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-assessments) - [Workshops](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-workshops) - [Learning Programs](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-learning-programs) - [About Us](https://levvel.ca/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Social Responsibility](https://levvel.ca/about/social-responsibility) - [Insights](https://levvel.ca/insights) - [Contact](https://levvel.ca/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [OCM Solutions](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-solutions) Show submenu for OCM Solutions - [Services](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-services) - [Assessments](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-assessments) - [Workshops](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-workshops) - [Learning Programs](https://levvel.ca/organizational-change-management-learning-programs) - [About Us](https://levvel.ca/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Social Responsibility](https://levvel.ca/about/social-responsibility) - [Insights](https://levvel.ca/insights) - [Contact](https://levvel.ca/contact) - [Book a Free Consultation](https://outlook.office.com/book/BookafreeconsultationwithLevvel@levvel.ca/?ismsaljsauthenabled=true) [Book a Free Consultation](https://outlook.office.com/book/BookafreeconsultationwithLevvel@levvel.ca/?ismsaljsauthenabled=true) [All posts](https://levvel.ca/insights/all) October 22, 2026 # Before Your Next Project Kicks Off, Ask These 5 Questions By  [Levvel Insights Team](https://levvel.ca/insights/author/levvel-insights-team)  ·  4 minute read A project kickoff usually comes with a packed agenda. Scope, timelines, budgets, deliverables and responsibilities all need attention. Everyone wants to leave the meeting knowing what's expected and what happens next. But there's another conversation worth having before the work begins: **How will Project Management and Change Management work together to achieve the outcomes we're planning for?** It's an important question. Even a well-executed project can encounter challenges when employees aren't prepared, adoption risks go unnoticed or teams have different expectations of success. As Deloitte explains: *“Integrating OCM with project management and governance helps organizations address change early and often, alongside technical milestones.” **1*** Before your next project gets underway, here are five questions worth discussing ![Five questions to ask before a project kickoff](https://levvel.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Copy%20of%202026-09%20Blog%20(1)-png.png?width=414&height=331&name=Copy%20of%202026-09%20Blog%20(1)-png.png) ## **1. Are our project and change management plans aligned?** Project and change management activities are closely connected, yet they're sometimes planned independently. Consider what happens when a project milestone moves forward by two weeks. That adjustment might affect employee training, leadership communications, stakeholder engagement and overall readiness. Reviewing both plans together helps teams identify dependencies, coordinate activities and make adjustments before they create problems. **Ask yourself:** Are our project milestones, change activities and key deliverables connected on a shared timeline? ## **2. Does everyone understand their responsibilities?** When multiple teams contribute to a project, unclear responsibilities can lead to duplicated work, missed activities and delayed decisions. Who owns stakeholder engagement? Who communicates changes to the project timeline? And when employee adoption risks surface, who is responsible for addressing them? Establishing clear roles and decision-making processes early helps project and change teams collaborate more effectively. It also gives business leaders a better understanding of where their support is needed. **Ask yourself:** Do we know who's accountable for each activity, and how decisions or concerns will be escalated? ## **3. Have we identified the risks to employee adoption?** Project risk assessments typically consider technical challenges, resources, budgets and timelines. People-related risks deserve the same attention. Employees may be managing several changes at once, managers might need additional support, or teams may have concerns about how new processes will affect their work. These issues can influence whether a project achieves its intended outcomes. Bringing project and change professionals together to identify and assess adoption risks provides a more complete picture of readiness. It also helps teams prioritize support where it's needed most. **Ask yourself:** Do we understand what could prevent employees from successfully adopting the change, and do we have a plan to address those risks? ## **4. How will we involve the people impacted by the change?** A project team may have a clear understanding of what is changing, but the people expected to adopt those changes often see things from a different perspective. They understand the realities of their daily work, including practical challenges that may be overlooked during planning. Creating opportunities for two-way communication helps uncover these concerns early. It also gives employees a voice and provides project and change teams with information they can use to improve their approach. For example, employee feedback might reveal that a planned training session conflicts with a busy operational period or that a new process introduces an unexpected challenge. **Ask yourself:** How will we collect employee feedback, who will review it, and how will it influence project decisions? ## 5. Are we measuring project delivery AND successful adoption? This is an important one. Project success is often measured through milestones, budgets, technical performance and delivery dates. These measures tell us how well the project was executed. But what happens after implementation? Are employees using the new system correctly? Have they adopted the new process? Are the expected improvements actually happening? Consider a technology implementation that launches on time and within budget. The technical delivery may be successful, but if employees continue relying on old processes or struggle to use the new system, the organization may not realize the full value of its investment. That's why both project and adoption metrics should be established early. Tracking measures such as employee readiness, system usage, behaviour changes and business outcomes helps organizations understand whether the change is delivering its intended benefits. It's also worth deciding who will monitor these measures after go-live and how long progress will be tracked. Ask yourself: Have we defined what successful adoption looks like, how we'll measure it and who will be accountable for sustaining results? ## **Better Planning starts with better questions** Taking time to answer these five questions can reveal gaps that might otherwise surface much later in the project. When Project Management and Change Management are aligned from the beginning, teams are better positioned to coordinate their efforts, manage adoption risks and make informed decisions throughout implementation. At Levvel, we believe successful change requires a balanced approach that considers both project objectives and the people responsible for bringing those changes to life. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is integrated change management? Integrated change management brings Project Management and Organizational Change Management (OCM) activities together within a coordinated approach. It aligns project timelines, communication, stakeholder engagement, risk management and adoption planning so organizations can achieve both technical objectives and successful employee adoption. ### When should Change Management be introduced into a project? Ideally, Change Management should be included during the earliest planning stages. Early involvement helps identify potential adoption risks, assess employee readiness and coordinate change activities with project milestones. However, Change Management can still provide valuable support when introduced after a project is underway. ### How can project managers and change managers improve collaboration? Start by establishing shared objectives, clarifying responsibilities and coordinating project and change management plans. Regular planning meetings, shared risk discussions and consistent communication help both teams identify dependencies, address concerns early and make informed decisions throughout the project. ### How do you measure successful change adoption? Successful adoption is measured by how effectively employees use and sustain new systems, processes or ways of working. Depending on the initiative, useful measures may include system usage, employee proficiency, behavioural changes, feedback and improvements in business performance. These measures should be established alongside traditional project delivery metrics. ## **How well are your project and change management efforts connected?** Our **Integrating Change Program** helps Project Managers, Change Managers and leaders strengthen their working relationships, align their plans and build practical strategies for achieving lasting results. [Download Levvel's Integrating Change Program Guide and get a FREE Planning Template](https://levvel.ca/integrating-change-program) to explore practical ways to bring your teams and plans together. 1 Deloitte, *Developing an ERP Change Management Strategy* [https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/alliances/articles/workday-erp-change-management-adoption.html](https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/alliances/articles/workday-erp-change-management-adoption.html) ~ Reach out to[connect@levvel.ca](mailto:connect@levvel.ca) ![](https://levvel.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/L_Levvel_TAG_Orange_RGB-1024x382-Jul-17-2025-07-29-10-6631-PM.png?width=1024&height=382&name=L_Levvel_TAG_Orange_RGB-1024x382-Jul-17-2025-07-29-10-6631-PM.png) [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://levvel.ca/insights/before-your-next-project-kicks-off-ask-these-5-questions) ## Related posts [![](https://levvel.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/534x425-OOTB-vs-custom.png)](https://levvel.ca/insights/master-tech-transitions-levvels-expert-change-management-solutions) [business](https://levvel.ca/insights/tag/business) ### [Master Tech Transitions: Levvel’s Expert Change Management Solutions.](https://levvel.ca/insights/master-tech-transitions-levvels-expert-change-management-solutions) [![](https://levvel.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Ai-Drvien-Change-Blog-600-x-250-px.jpg)](https://levvel.ca/insights/managing-change-in-the-world-of-ai) [business](https://levvel.ca/insights/tag/business) ### [Managing Change in the World of AI.](https://levvel.ca/insights/managing-change-in-the-world-of-ai) [![Leadership Alignment](https://levvel.ca/hubfs/The%20hidden%20cost%20of%20mis-alignment%20(600%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png)](https://levvel.ca/insights/the-hidden-cost-of-were-aligned-when-youre-not) [Blog](https://levvel.ca/insights/tag/blog) ### [The Hidden Cost of “We’re Aligned” When You’re Not](https://levvel.ca/insights/the-hidden-cost-of-were-aligned-when-youre-not) Levvel is grateful to work on treaty lands and territory of the Indigenous Peoples (Inuit, First Nations, and Métis), also called Canada. 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