Investing in a change management course can be a significant financial commitment.
Making the wrong choice can be costly, both in terms of time and money and may not provide the return on investment you were hoping for depending on what you want out of the course.
By understanding the ideal criteria required to evaluate the pros and cons of each provider, you’ll be able to assess and find the best change management course for your needs.
At Agile Change Leadership Institute, we’ve provided industry-leading Change Management Courses since 2019.
While we believe we offer the best change management course on the market, it’s essential for you to evaluate different options to find the best fit for your unique needs and goals.
We’ve provided 13 key criteria as well as a course comparison tool that will help you find the right change management course for you.
Assess This Criteria To Find The Best Change Management Course For Your Needs
Finding the right change management course can significantly impact your career and organisational success.
By evaluating the criteria below, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your learning needs and professional goals.
Choosing a course that matches your learning format and style is crucial. Consider whether you prefer on-demand or in-person. On-demand courses offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace and suit:
- people who have family commitments to juggle,
- people who struggle with paying sustained attention to something new
- people who don’t wish to give up billable hours or time away from work for upskilling.
In-person classes provide direct interaction with instructors and peers in real time.
On-demand and self-paced classes allow you to fit your studies around your schedule, which is beneficial if you have other commitments. Scheduled classes, on the other hand, provide a structured approach, helping you stay on track with your learning goals. Evaluate which format and style align best with your personal preferences and professional needs.
Micro-learning courses are brain-friendly and use techniques that enhance learning and retention. Look for courses that incorporate active learning strategies, such as interactive activities, practical exercises, and real-world applications. These methods engage multiple senses and improve information retention. Also, consider courses that use spaced repetition and chunking, breaking down complex information into manageable parts, making it easier to understand and remember.
If you know that your brain easily handles a half-day or full-day, and multiple days in a row, then micro-learning may not be as important to you.
The course content and curriculum should cover all contemporary aspects of change management. Change is changing and you don’t want to end up learning concepts that are now outdated. Ensure the course includes up-to-date, practical information that is relevant to current industry standards.
Review the syllabus to confirm it covers foundation topics such as change resistance, change readiness, change impacts, and change leadership as well as contemporary topics such as human-centred design, agility, and applied neuroscience change.
You want a strong emphasis on learning that you can use immediately – so downloadable templates will be useful for the course content to be applied. High-quality content is essential for gaining the knowledge and skills needed to excel in change management.
Understanding the time commitment required to complete the course is vital. Assess whether the course’s duration and time to complete fit into your personal and professional schedule.
Consider how much time you can realistically dedicate to the course and choose one that aligns with your availability to ensure successful completion without overwhelming your responsibilities.
Evaluate the cost of the course in relation to what’s included in the fee. Consider factors such as course materials, access to resources, and additional support services. Compare different providers to find a course that offers the best value for money. Ask them if they provide payment plans.
A higher-priced course may be worthwhile if it provides extensive resources and support that enhance your learning experience. These three questions will help inform this evaluation:
- What is my personal budget for professional development and keeping ahead of my peers?
- What % of my desired salary does this represent?
- Will this course help me get a higher-paying role?
Assessments are crucial for measuring your understanding and progress throughout the course. Look for courses that have an integrity to their assessment. If you can pass with 50% is that really an indication of what you have learned? Does the course use multi-choice quizzes, exams, experiments and reflective essays with feedback? Effective assessments will help reinforce your learning and ensure you are adequately prepared to apply the concepts in real-world situations.
A supportive community post-completion can be invaluable. Alumni networks and forums provide ongoing support, networking opportunities, and resources. Check if the course provider offers a community where you can connect with peers, share experiences, and continue learning even after the course ends.
Choose a course that aligns with your career goals, whether it’s securing a promotion or finding a new job. Look for evidence that past participants have successfully advanced their careers post-completion.
Courses that are well-regarded in the industry and recognised by employers can significantly enhance your professional profile. You also need to consider if the course will help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Receiving a certificate or digital badge upon completion adds value to your professional profile. These credentials demonstrate your expertise and commitment to continuous learning. Ensure the course provides a recognised credential that can be showcased on your resume and professional networks. You might be surprised how much the showcasing of a digital badge increases your visibility to recruiters!
Accreditation, certification and the reputation of the provider are critical factors in choosing a course. Accredited courses meet industry standards and are recognised for their quality. Not all certificate programs are accredited but that does not mean they are not of quality.
In many cases, certification or quality courses contribute to the maintenance of the Accreditation through Continuous Professional Development. Research the provider’s reputation by reading reviews, checking their credentials, and looking at their history in the industry. A reputable provider will offer a credible and respected course.
Qualified and experienced instructors are key to a valuable learning experience. Look for instructors with extensive industry experience and strong educational backgrounds. Evaluate their profiles, testimonials, and any available sample lectures to ensure they have the expertise to deliver high-quality instruction.
Robust student support and resources enhance the learning experience. Look for courses that offer mentoring, forums, downloadable templates, resources, curated reading, additional learning materials, and technical support. Effective support services help address any challenges you may face and provide assistance when needed, ensuring a smooth and productive learning journey.
Reading reviews and testimonials from past students can provide valuable insights into the course’s quality and effectiveness. Look for consistent positive feedback and specific examples of how the course has benefited others. Reliable reviews can help you make an informed decision and choose a course that meets your expectations.
Selecting the best change management course in Australia involves careful consideration of several criteria.
By thoroughly evaluating each aspect, you can ensure that the course you choose will provide the knowledge, skills, and support needed to excel in your change management career.
If you’d like to a template to help you compare your top choices, download our free change management course comparison tool to help you make an informed decision.
How Our Change Management Course Fares Against This Criteria
Selecting the right change management course can be daunting with so many options available.
To make this decision easier, we’ve provided a comprehensive comparison of our courses against the key criteria that matter most.
This comparison will help you understand how The Agile Change Leadership Institute stands out in terms of learning format, content quality, instructor expertise, and more.
| Criteria | Factors To Consider | ACLI |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Format & Flexibility / Style | Do I prefer on-demand or in-person learning? Can I balance on-demand learning with my family and work commitments? Do I need a structured schedule to stay on track? | On demand, can be accessed anytime, anywhere. No need to give up valuable work or family time to attend training. |
| Brain-friendly Approach | Does this course use active learning strategies? Are there interactive activities, practical exercises, and real-world applications? Is the content delivered in manageable chunks? | Uses micro-learning and less than 10 minutes a lesson in most courses. Micro-learning has been shown to be beneficial in knowledge retention. |
| Course Content and Curriculum | Is the course content up-to-date and relevant to current industry standards? Does the syllabus cover both foundational and contemporary topics in change management? Are there downloadable templates for immediate application? | Teaches the basics and then introduces contemporary and compelling content that is representative of current workplace conditions. |
| Time Commitment | How long is the course and how many hours per week will it require? Can I realistically fit this course into my personal and professional schedule? | Varies:
Lifetime access for all so you can revisit anytime. |
| Price & Value for Money | What is the cost of the course and what is included in the fee? Is this course within my personal budget for professional development? Will this course help me secure a higher-paying role? |
Industry body member and group discounts apply. About the cost of a day’s work for the Agile Change Manager certificate but will improve your earning potential. Payment plans available on request. |
| Assessment | What types of assessments are used in this course? Are the assessments rigorous and indicative of my understanding and progress? Do the assessments include quizzes, exams, experiments, and reflective essays? | Agile Mindset and Agile Change Manager – 80% pass mark required on multichoice quiz. Agile Change Leader assessments are assessed by experienced instructors and feedback is provided. |
| Community Post Completion | Does the course offer a supportive alumni network or forums? Will I have opportunities to connect with peers and continue learning after the course ends? | Yes – hosted on Mighty Networks |
| Assists in Role Objectives (Promotion or New Job) | Will this course help me achieve my career goals, such as a promotion or new job? Do past participants report career advancement after completing the course? Will this course help me stand out in a crowded marketplace? | Yes – many of our alumni have done the Agile Change Manager course to prepare for job interviews. Our course is listed in job ads eg advantageous to have Agile Change Leadership Certification. “As soon as I updated my LinkedIn profile with news I was doing this course I started getting calls from recruiters. It’s an incredibly important signal to the market!” – ACL graduate |
| Certificate / Digital Badge | Does the course provide a recognised certificate or digital badge upon completion? How will this credential add value to my professional profile? Will showcasing a digital badge increase my visibility to recruiters? | Yes, issued through Credly, the global leader in industry digital badging, |
| Accreditation or Reputation of the Provider | Is the course accredited and does it meet industry standards? Does the provider have a good reputation and history in the industry? Are the courses recognised for their quality and credibility? | Founded by global experts in change and agility, both with award-winning learning and development, and curriculum design expertise. 4.9 rating on Google |
| Instructor Expertise | Do the instructors have extensive industry experience and strong educational backgrounds? Are there profiles, testimonials, or sample lectures available to evaluate instructor quality? | Lena Ross and Dr Jen Frahm each have nearly 30 years of experience in change management across multiple types of change and industries. They are “boots on the ground” instructors and everything they teach has been tested in the workplace. |
| Student Support and Resources | Are the instructors available for queries and clarifications Are there additional learning materials and technical support available? Will the support services help me address any challenges during the course? | Agile Mindset: curated readings, downloadable experiments and resources, Group facilitation guide. Agile Change Manager: 50 + agile change templates, a Change Leader / Change Sponsor Operating Model, curated readings, downloadable resource cards, a learner guide, Group facilitation guide. A hard copy of the Agile Change Playbook by Dr Jen Frahm and Lena Ross. Agile Change Leadership Certificate: Instructor feedback, downloadable experiments, learner guide, and Group facilitation guide. Hard copy of Change. Leader: The changes you need to make first by Dr Jen Frahm, Conversations of Change: A guide to workplace change, by Dr Jen Frahm, and Hacking for Agile Change: With an Agile Mindset, Behaviours and Practices by Lena Ross |
| Reviews and Testimonials | What do past students say about the course? Are there consistent positive reviews and specific examples of how the course has benefited others? Where can I find reliable reviews to make an informed decision? | 4.9 on Google More at https://aclinstitute.com/testimonials/ |
To help you make an informed decision, we’ve created a free course comparison tool.
This tool allows you to compare different change management courses side by side, using the criteria we’ve discussed.
Download our free change management course comparison tool now and take the first step towards selecting the best change management course for your needs.
Want to learn more about our industry-leading change management course?
At The Agile Change Leadership Institute, we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive and effective change management courses designed to equip you with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in dynamic environments. If you’re ready to advance your career and lead change effectively, explore our industry-leading courses:
- Agile Change Manager Certificate Program: Develop the essential skills to manage agile change initiatives and drive successful transformations within your organisation.
- Agile Change Leadership Certificate: Enhance your leadership capabilities to inspire and guide your team through change, fostering a culture of agility and innovation.
- The Agile Mindset: Cultivate a mindset that embraces change and agility, empowering you to adapt and thrive in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
Each of our courses is designed with your success in mind, offering flexible learning formats, brain-friendly approaches, and robust support to ensure you achieve your career goals. Join our community of change leaders and take the next step towards becoming a future-fit leader and job-ready change manager.
Contact us online or call 1300 959 496 if you’d like to speak with a member of our friendly staff.
