Change management is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environment, where adaptability is key to success.
APMG, Prosci, and The Agile Change Leadership Institute are three leading providers of change management certification that help people guide organisations through change effectively.
While APMG and Prosci offer structured frameworks with well-established principles, the Agile Change Leadership Institute focuses on building agile change capability so that change managers and leaders are ready to handle change with confidence.
In this comparison, we’ll explore the key differences, benefits, and unique strengths of each approach, helping you decide which certification aligns best with your career goals and organisational needs.
Whether you’re seeking to deepen your knowledge or enhance your team’s capabilities, understanding these methodologies is the first step toward successful change management.
Understanding APMG’s Approach to Change Management
APMG’s approach to change management is rooted in a structured framework designed to help organisations navigate change.
The APMG Change Management certification is recognised globally and focuses on the processes, techniques, and tools necessary to manage change within any organisation.
APMG offers two primary certifications: the Change Management Foundation and the Change Management Practitioner.
The Foundation level provides a solid understanding of change management principles, while the Practitioner level dives deeper into applying these principles in real-world scenarios.
One of the key elements of APMG is its emphasis on a process-driven approach, ensuring that change initiatives are systematically planned, executed, and evaluated.
This methodical framework makes APMG a preferred choice for professionals seeking a structured path to managing change.
Understanding Prosci’s Approach to Change Management
Prosci is widely known for its ADKAR® Model, a goal-oriented change management framework that focuses on the human side of change and its 3-step change methodology.
ADKAR stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement—five key stages individuals must go through to embrace change successfully.
Prosci’s methodology is designed to ensure that change is implemented and sustained over time by addressing the needs and behaviours of those affected by it.
Prosci offers a range of certification programs, with its flagship being the Prosci Change Management Certification.
This program equips professionals with the skills to apply the ADKAR Model in real-world scenarios, making it particularly useful for organisations that prioritise people-centric change initiatives.
The strength of Prosci lies in its emphasis on understanding and managing the impact of change on individuals.
By focusing on the individual experience of change, Prosci ensures that change is more readily accepted and embedded within the organisation, leading to lasting results.
This makes Prosci a good choice for professionals who are joining organisations that already use Prosci in-house.
Understanding ACLI’s Approach to Change Management
The Agile Change Leadership Institute stands out by focusing on developing change managers and leaders that can thrive in fast-paced, ever-changing environments.
Unlike traditional change management methodologies, which may emphasise structured processes, the Agile Change Leadership Institute prioritises three agile change capabilities:
- Data-informed decision making,
- Visual and transparent communication; and
- Continuous engagement
The focus on capability means it is an excellent companion to market leaders like Prosci and APMG. It helps people use their PROSCI certification in agile environments and organisations that are delivering fast-paced change.
Our programs are designed to build future-fit leaders and job-ready change managers who can confidently navigate the complexities of modern business landscapes.
We offer a range of certifications and courses that combine practical, bite-sized learning modules with real-time practice, reflection, and sharing.
This approach ensures that participants not only understand the theory behind change management but also gain the hands-on experience needed to apply it effectively in their organisations.
What sets the Agile Change Leadership Institute apart is our commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement and inclusive design of training.
Our teaching encourages participants to embrace change as an opportunity for growth and innovation, equipping them with the tools and mindset needed to lead successful change initiatives in today’s dynamic world.
Whether you’re looking to update your change management skills or build a more agile organisation, our programs offer the flexibility and depth needed to achieve your goals.
General Course Comparison: Key Differences
Course: ACLI Agile Change Management Certificate
Time: 4.5 Hours
Pre-requisite: None
Cost AUD: $1,250
Format: Online, 26 microlessons, self-paced
What You’ll Learn:
- Understand the origins of agile and how it fits into the change management world
- Know what to expect in your agile change engagement
- Understand how to translate your favourite change model to agile ways of working
- Use data to streamline your change approach
- Uncover the hidden influencers that make change stick
- Work out how to pre-empt failure fast!
- Significantly reduce resistance to change
- Experience professional liberation in new ways of working
- Ensure that you have all the information you need to make change happen
- Have surefire ways of delivering change communication that cuts through
- Move to being a trusted change partner
- Have five ways to create learning and training that works
- Know five ways to reduce brain overwhelm
- Have a set of tactics to keep calm and instil calm
- Be clear on how you sustain yourself going forward
Assessment:
- 66 multiple-choice questions
- 80% pass mark required to advance and complete
Inclusions:
- A hard copy of Agile Change Playbook
- Template library (50+)
- Unique Change Sponsor/Leader Operating Model Guide
- Curated Resources
- 50+ agile change practices
- Access to an online community (Agile Change Adventurers)
- Digital badge
Course: APMG Foundation
Time: 3-Days
Pre-requisite: n/a
Cost AUD: $1,990 (plus time off work)
Format: 3 days instructor-led OR self-paced 12 months
What You’ll Learn:
- Structured approaches you can use to shape a change initiative
- How to ‘read’ the organisational context for change
- Human responses to change and techniques to help people adapt
- Sources of resistance to change and ways to work effectively with these
- Factors affecting people’s motivation during changes and how to encourage support for change initiatives
- How teams can facilitate successful organisational change and how line leaders, sponsors, change managers and change agents can best work together
- How to identify stakeholders and engage effectively with them
- Essential communication principles to support change initiatives
- Ways to assess change impacts across the organisation
- How to select and effectively utilise key metrics for evaluating change
Assessment:
- 50 multiple-choice questions
- 50% pass mark (25/50)
- 40 minutes duration
- Closed book
Inclusions: Digital or hard copy of textbook – The Change Managers Handbook
Course: APMG Practitioner
Time: 2 Days
Pre-requisite: Foundation course
Cost AUD: $1,599 (plus time off work)
Format: 3 days instructor-led OR self-paced 12 months
What You’ll Learn:
- Levers to help embed change and ensure its sustainability
- Strategies to manage learning and development in support of change
- A framework for coaching colleagues, including listening and feedback techniques
- Core insights into handling conflict during periods of change
- Approaches to facilitate collaborative design of change
Assessment:
- 50 multiple-choice questions
- 50% pass mark (25/50)
- 40 minutes duration
- Closed book
Inclusions: N/A
Course: Prosci Change Management Certification
Time: 3 Days
Pre-requisite: n/a
Cost AUD: $6,295
Format: Instructor-led – in-person or online
What You’ll Learn:
- Define change management
- Explain the value of change management
- Apply the Prosci ADKAR® Model to facilitate individual change
- Apply the Prosci 3-Phase Process for organizational change
- Activate roles that contribute to change success
- Formulate the foundation of a Change Management Plan to address a specific project
Assessment:
- A case study presentation at the end of the course
Inclusions:
- Program workbook and handouts
- One-year subscription to digital content, resources, and tools in the Prosci Hub Solution Suite, including:
- Research Hub – digital versions of Best Practices in Change Management – 12th Edition, topical studies, and relevant data across a broad array of topics
- Knowledge Hub – Practitioner Program
- Proxima
How to Choose the Right Course for You: Key Considerations
To help you decide on the right course for you, let’s look at some key points:
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One major comparison is that the Agile Change Management Certificate focuses on contemporary change management capabilities, not traditional change management processes.
It is very different from Prosci or AMPG courses so it is difficult to compare directly however it is an excellent addition to traditional change management certificates.
Given the speed of change in today’s workplace, many of our graduates find it is the only certificate they need.
If you have the funds and time available Prosci is the market-leading certification, and some organisations may have a preference for you having it.
That said, if all of your competition have a Prosci certification you still need to show how you stand out from the crowd.
If you are comparing APMG and Prosci for traditional change management certification our recommendation is to ask your peers who have completed these courses how it has helped them.
At the end of the day, choosing the right change management course is a significant investment, and it’s crucial to make an informed decision.
Each of these options offers valuable insights, but it’s essential to understand your specific goals and preferred learning style before committing to one course over another.
We understand that this decision isn’t just about cost—it’s about finding the right fit for your needs.
That’s why we’ve created a free change management course comparison sheet, featuring 13 key criteria to consider before making your choice.
If you’re looking for further guidance on selecting the best course, explore our comprehensive guide on how to choose the best change management course for your career and organisational goals.
And when you’re ready to enhance your skills, consider our:
- Agile Mindset Micro-credential
- Brain-Friendly Change Course
- Agile Change Management Certificate
- Agile Change Leadership Certificate
to equip yourself with the skills to lead and thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.
Start your path to becoming a high-impact change manager equipped to work in any environment today.
Finding the right framework is just the beginning. Our change management courses and change leadership courses provide the flexibility and tools you need to thrive. Equip yourself with proven strategies and become an in-demand change leader. Start shaping your path to success now.
