Not all change management certifications are created equal.
Choosing the right one can shape your career, enhance your skills, and determine how effectively you drive change in your organisation.
But with so many options, how do you know which one is best for you?
This blog compares three leading change management certification providers—Kotter, Prosci (ADKAR), and Agile Change Leadership Institute (ACLI)—to help you understand what each offers, who they’re best for, and how they align with your career goals.
Let’s dive in.
Kotter: Structured, Leadership-Driven Change
John Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change is a structured, top-down framework designed for large-scale organisational transformation.
It provides a clear roadmap for implementing change in a controlled and strategic way, making it a useful tool for change leaders shaping strategy and change managers responsible for execution.
Kotter’s model is leadership-driven and focuses on building momentum from the top down. The framework follows eight sequential steps:
- Create urgency – Identify opportunities or threats that demand immediate action.
- Build a guiding coalition – Form a leadership team to champion change.
- Develop a vision and strategy – Outline clear goals and a roadmap for execution.
- Communicate the vision – Ensure organisation-wide alignment.
- Remove obstacles – Address resistance and remove roadblocks.
- Secure short-term wins – Generate early successes to build confidence.
- Sustain acceleration – Keep up momentum through reinforcement.
- Anchor change in culture – Embed changes into the organisation’s values and processes.
This model works well in structured organisations where leadership plays a key role in driving transformation.
It provides change managers with a defined process to follow, ensuring alignment across teams while maintaining long-term focus.
Kotter’s framework is particularly effective for:
- Enterprise-level organisations undergoing fundamental structural change.
- Industries with well-defined hierarchies, where leadership is responsible for driving transformation.
- Companies looking for a clear, long-term roadmap, especially those focused on cultural shifts and sustained change.
By providing clear steps and structured execution, Kotter’s model helps change professionals establish consistency and maintain engagement throughout the change process.
However, its step-by-step nature can limit flexibility.
While it provides a structured approach, it may not be the best fit for businesses that need iterative change or rapid adaptation.
Organisations operating in fast-moving industries may find it too rigid, especially when dealing with ongoing shifts in strategy, technology, or market demands.
In these cases, change managers may need to adjust the framework to allow for greater agility.
Prosci: Structured, People-Centric Change
Prosci’s ADKAR Model is a structured, people-focused framework designed to help individuals adopt and sustain change. It is used as part of the three-step Prosci methodology: Phase 1 – Prepare Approach, Phase 2 – Manage Change and Phase 3 – Sustain Outcomes
Rather than focusing on leadership-driven transformation like Kotter’s model, ADKAR emphasises the individual journey through change.
It provides a structured approach that supports both change leaders setting the strategy and change managers responsible for execution.
This makes it well-suited for project-based initiatives and organisational improvements where employee engagement is critical.
The ADKAR Model is built around five key stages:
- Awareness – Understanding why change is necessary.
- Desire – Creating motivation and willingness to support the change.
- Knowledge – Providing the right training and information.
- Ability – Ensuring employees have the skills to implement the change.
- Reinforcement – Sustaining change through continuous support and feedback.
Unlike Kotter’s top-down leadership approach, Prosci’s model is structured yet adaptable, focusing on individual and team-level engagement.
It provides a clear methodology that allows change professionals to assess and address resistance, ensuring employees have the mindset, skills, and support needed to transition successfully.
Prosci’s approach works well for organisations that require structured but flexible change management. It is particularly effective for:
- Project-based change initiatives where employee adoption is critical.
- Mid-sized to large organisations looking for a repeatable framework.
- Industries with ongoing process improvements, such as healthcare, finance, and IT.
The people-centric nature of ADKAR makes it highly effective in structured environments where change needs to be adopted at an individual level before being fully embedded across teams and organisations.
While Prosci’s structured framework provides a clear roadmap for individual adoption, you would need to deploy the full suite of Prosci’s assessments and frameworks to account for large-scale organisational change.
For businesses that require continuous, iterative change, it may feel too process-heavy.
This is especially true in fast-moving industries where quick decision-making and adaptability are essential.
Agile Change Leadership Institute: Developing Future-Ready Change Practitioners
The Agile Change Leadership Institute stands out by focusing on equipping change managers and leaders with the skills needed to thrive in fast-paced, constantly evolving environments.
Unlike traditional change management methodologies such as Kotter’s structured leadership model or Prosci’s ADKAR framework, which emphasise step-by-step processes and individual adoption, we prioritise three key agile change capabilities:
- Data-informed decision-making – Using real-time insights to guide change.
- Visual and transparent communication – Ensuring clarity and alignment across teams.
- Continuous engagement – Embedding change as an ongoing practice, not a one-off event.
This capability-focused approach makes ACLI an excellent companion to well-established frameworks like Prosci and Kotter.
It helps professionals apply their Prosci certification in agile environments while also offering an alternative to Kotter’s linear approach, which may not suit fast-moving organisations.
Our programs are designed to build future-fit leaders and job-ready change managers who can confidently manage modern business challenges. The approach works particularly well for:
- Organisations delivering rapid, iterative change that need a flexible, adaptive model.
- Change managers looking to expand beyond structured methodologies like Kotter or Prosci.
- Companies embedding agility and continuous improvement into their culture.
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 business environment.
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.
What Courses Do These Providers Offer to Level Up My Change Management Skills?
Our change management certificate is a unique and industry-leading training program that supports change and project management practitioners working in agile environments and companies going through continuous change. It is the complete package of learning – online micro-lessons, a hard-copy book for reflection, and more than 50 downloadable change templates ready to use on your next change initiative. It now includes the unique Change Leader Operating Model Pack to help you take control of your relationship with your sponsor!
Course: ACLI Agile Change Manager 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
The Kotter Core Change Certification is designed for professionals responsible for driving change, as well as those supporting teams and organisations through transformation. This program is ideal for individuals looking to enhance their professional development, earn a recognised change management certification, or strengthen their ability to effectively lead change initiatives.
Course: Kotter Core Change Certification
Time: 3 Days (in-person or virtual) or 25 hours self-paced (online) *within a year of purchasing the online course
Pre-requisite: n/a
Cost USD: $4,250 (in-person or virtual) or $3,250 (online)
Format: Instructor-led (in-person or virtual) or self-paced (online)
What You’ll Learn:
- Foundational knowledge and understanding of the Science of Change, including the neuroscience of change, the implications of the modern organisational structure, and Kotter’s proven framework for leading change
- Specific tactics and techniques to help you apply the most essential elements of Kotter’s 8 Accelerators and 4 Change Principles to current and future change efforts
- Foundational Knowledge: Understand the basics of change leadership, including the science behind successful transformations and human behavioural responses to change.
- Engaging Stakeholders: Learn techniques to create a sense of urgency and build a guiding coalition to support change initiatives.
- Vision Communication: Develop skills to craft and convey a compelling vision that aligns stakeholders and motivates action.
- Removing Barriers: Identify and address obstacles that hinder change, empowering teams to act effectively.
- Strategies for implementing change that you can put into practice immediately with your teams and organisation
Assessment:
- Minimum score of 80% on each comprehensive course exam
Inclusions:
- Videos, quizzes, and interactive content
- Certification badge you can share on LinkedIn, in your email signature, and on your CV.
The Kotter Advanced Change Certification Program is designed for professionals responsible for leading and managing complex change initiatives. It includes all the content from the Core Change Certification while offering additional in-depth training on accelerating transformation, sustaining long-term change, and applying Kotter’s principles to large-scale or high-stakes environments.
Course: Kotter Advanced Change Certification
Time: 5 Days (in-person or virtual) or 30-35 hours self-paced (online) *within a year of purchasing the online course
Pre-requisite: n/a
Cost USD: $6,000 (in-person or virtual) or $4,650 (online)
Format: Instructor-led (in-person or virtual) or self-paced (online)
What You’ll Learn:
- Foundational knowledge and understanding of the Science of Change, including the neuroscience of change, the implications of the modern organisational structure, and Kotter’s proven framework for leading change
- Specific tactics and techniques to help you apply the most essential elements of Kotter’s 8 Accelerators and 6 Change Principles (The 4 change principles from the core change certification + 2 additional principles) to current and future change efforts
- Accelerating Change: Explore strategies to generate and celebrate short-term wins, maintaining momentum throughout the change process.
- Sustaining Change: Learn methods to embed changes into the organisational culture, ensuring long-term success and resilience.
- Strategies for implementing change that you can put into practice immediately with your teams and organisation
Assessment:
- Minimum score of 80% on each comprehensive course exam
Inclusions:
- Videos, quizzes, and interactive content
- Certification badge you can share on LinkedIn, in your email signature, and on your CV.
Prosci’s Change Management Certification Program provides the tools, knowledge, and support needed to manage and lead organisational change effectively. This hands-on program allows participants to apply Prosci’s methodology and the ADKAR Model to a real project, ensuring practical learning and immediate application. Alongside expert instruction, attendees gain access to Proci’s industry-leading change management tools and the opportunity to exchange insights, challenges, and solutions with peers.
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 organisational 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:
| Kotter | Prosci | ACLI |
|---|---|---|
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Experienced change professionals know that no single framework works for every situation. While both ADKAR and Kotter each provide useful tools, in practice, you often adapt and combine them to suit the organisation, project, and context.
That’s where ACLI stands apart. While Kotter, ADKAR and others offer valuable models, Our Agile Change Manager Certificate focuses on building the practical capabilities needed to apply and adapt those frameworks in real-world settings.
Many of our graduates already hold traditional certifications, but turn to ACLI to strengthen their confidence, adaptability, and impact in fast-moving environments. Our courses are built to help you lead change—not just learn about it.
If you’re looking for a more traditional change management certification, then our Change Essentials is the low-cost option that gives you the foundation knowledge and tools for traditional change management.
We understand that our courses don’t suit every learning style or professional requirement, which is why it’s important to choose a certification that aligns with your goals, budget, and work environment.
Choose Agile Change Leadership Institute if:
- You work in fast-paced, agile environments where change happens continuously.
- You need a flexible, real-world approach rather than a rigid step-by-step process.
- You want to develop future-ready change skills focused on adaptability and innovation.
- You prefer self-paced, micro-learning modules that fit around your schedule.
- You’re looking for a cost-effective alternative to traditional certifications.
Choose Prosci (ADKAR) if:
- You have a substantive budget to spend and time available to do it.
- The target organisation you want to work for is insisting on people having Prosci
- You want to study with a group of practitioners offsite somewhere fun!
Choose Kotter if:
- If you have a leadership team that is familiar with Kotter’s work and wants the comfort of what is familiar to them
- You will be working with management consultants who use Kotter as their approach.
We’ve also broken down APMG vs Prosci vs ACLI—check it out to find the best fit for your goals.
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.
If you are curious about how to adapt your Kotter or Prosci methodology to agile and more adaptive change why not join one of our Introduction to Agile Change Webinars where we show you how.
And when you’re ready to enhance your skills, consider our:
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.
