Change success is a thorny topic. One of my most “popular” posts, “70% of Change Fails: Bollocks”, challenges the oversimplified, binary approach of measuring change success—“Did it succeed? Yes or no?” Change is far too complex for that kind of one-dimensional thinking.
Today, I want to revisit this topic with a sharper focus on data and metrics. In 2025, we can no longer ignore the value of change data—whether for understanding adoption rates, benefits realization, or improving our change processes. Rich data makes for better decisions, and better decisions mean better change outcomes.
I use three categories to measure change success, which fall into familiar camps:
- Installation of Change
- Benefits Realization
- Process of Change
But let’s go further and layer in change metrics, user insights, and the data points that provide meaningful evidence of progress.
Project Success: Necessary but Not Sufficient
Most change projects are deemed successful by traditional Project Success Measures—IFOTOB (In Full, On Time, On Budget). From a change management perspective, this is a useful indicator, but it’s incomplete. We all know projects that delivered “on paper” yet failed to deliver real value because user adoption or behavior change was missing.
While project metrics matter for stakeholder confidence, change managers focus on outcomes that extend far beyond the project delivery date. This is where change data adds another layer of insight.
User Adoption: Does Anything Actually Change?
User adoption is often the first real test of whether a change is taking hold. Are people actually using the new system? Are they complying with new processes or displaying new behaviors? Without this, benefits realisation remains a pipe dream.
Traditional user adoption metrics include:
- Log-in rates or system usage data for technology rollouts.
- Compliance rates (e.g., new processes followed).
- Support call trends—are people seeking help (a good sign they’re trying) or disengaging?
We can’t rely on assumptions here. Pre-go-live data is critical. Tools like change readiness surveys and pulse checks give you insights into:
- Will they make the change? (Willingness)
- Can they make the change? (Readiness/skills gaps)
Targeted interventions then ensure higher adoption rates come go-live.
For example, establishing baseline metrics for current state and tracking progress at 30, 60, and 90-day intervals provides clarity. It’s not about 100% adoption on day one but about building a measurable, achievable adoption trajectory.
Benefits Realization: Proving Value Over Time
Here’s where tangible outcomes come into play:
- Speed to market
- Reduced cycle times
- Cost savings
- Increased efficiency (FTE release)
- Improved employee or customer engagement
But here’s the catch: benefits take time. Behavioral change and systems proficiency don’t happen overnight. Success demands patience and periodic measurement. Without consistent data collection, it’s easy to overlook progress and dismiss a successful change as a failure.
If user adoption metrics tell us what’s happening, benefits realization metrics tell us why it matters.
Change Process Success: Did We Leave the Campsite Better?
Change success isn’t just about the “what”; it’s also about the “how.” A poorly executed change today undermines tomorrow’s initiatives. Effective change managers measure how the change process feels for people:
- Periodic assessments of change curve progress—awareness, understanding, buy-in, and commitment.
- Engagement and empowerment scores—do people feel supported?
- Change capability—has the organization’s change maturity improved?
This is where I invoke the “Campsite Rule”: leave the organization’s change capability in a better state than when you arrived. Data-informed change processes that build confidence, improve communication, and leave leaders better equipped create enduring value.
The Value of Rich Conversations About Success
At its core, success metrics don’t matter as much as the conversation. Aligning on “what success looks like” with leaders, steering committees, and project teams is invaluable. These conversations shift focus from blaming (“Why aren’t the benefits there?”) to learning (“What are we seeing, and how do we respond?”).
Ultimately, metrics—whether adoption rates, benefits measures, or process assessments—are tools, not truths. Data tells a story, and it’s up to change leaders to use that story to drive clarity, adjust approaches, and demonstrate value.
Change Success is a Journey, Not a Binary Outcome
Measuring change is about tracking progress, not perfection. Change success requires us to stay curious, stay data-driven, and stay connected to what matters most: delivering real value.
The ultimate take-away with change metrics from an agile perspective is Measure As You Go. When you measure as you go, you get data that informs how you should change your change process. And everyone wins in the process.
