Introduction: why this action matters for adoption
A change website, intranet site or specialized page is more than a communications channel. Used well, it is a change-management asset: a single, accessible support mechanism that helps people understand what is changing, what it means for them and what action to take next. Change communication is more effective when it is structured, targeted, timed to the change journey and connected to broader change activities rather than treated as a standalone broadcast [Prosci, 2026; PMI, 2015]. (prosci.com)
This action is especially useful when employees are receiving fragmented messages, managers need a reliable reference point, or resistance is being fuelled by uncertainty. It should not replace manager conversations, sponsor visibility, training or engagement. Instead, it should make those activities easier by giving everyone a consistent source of truth.
What this action is and when to use it
A change site is a dedicated digital place for change information, decisions, timelines, role impacts, FAQs, learning links, feedback routes and calls to action. It may be a public webpage, a private intranet area, a team site, a portal page or a role-specific microsite.
Use it when the change affects multiple groups, lasts more than a few weeks, requires people to act differently, creates repeated questions, or needs coordinated support across locations. It is also useful during high-resistance changes because it makes information findable and reduces the risk of unofficial narratives filling the gap. However, engagement must still include two-way involvement, not just publishing information [University of Exeter]. (exeter.ac.uk)
Preparation: inputs, stakeholders, materials, timing and decisions needed
Start with adoption needs, not page design. GOV.UK content guidance recommends designing content around what users need to find out or do, using clear, plain English content that is accessible and kept current [GOV.UK]. (guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk)
Before building, gather the change impact assessment, stakeholder analysis, key messages, project roadmap, training plan, support model, manager talking points, decision log and known risks. Decide whether the page is for all employees or segmented by audience. Confirm who approves content, who updates it, what must be archived, and how urgent updates will be handled. Include accessibility and security requirements from the start; WCAG 2.2 organizes accessibility around content being perceivable, operable, understandable and robust [W3C, 2024]. (w3.org)
Timing should follow the change phase. Early pages can explain the case for change and roadmap. Later pages should provide role impacts, “what you need to do,” training, go-live support and reinforcement. Exeter’s change guidance similarly differentiates messages across diagnose, design, develop, deliver and sustain phases [University of Exeter]. (exeter.ac.uk)
Step-by-step facilitation guide
Define the adoption outcome. Write the behavior the site must support, such as “sales managers complete the new forecasting process by month-end.” Then define user needs for each audience: employees, people managers, sponsors, change champions and support teams.
Design the information architecture. Create a simple structure: why we are changing, what is changing, who is impacted, what to do now, timeline, training, support, FAQs and latest updates. Intranet research highlights the value of content strategy, governance, scannable content, searchability, role targeting and analytics [Nielsen Norman Group, 2021]. (media.nngroup.com)
Write role-specific calls to action. Avoid vague messages such as “be ready for go-live.” Use direct actions: “Complete the 20-minute training by May 10,” “Review your team roster,” or “Use the new approval workflow from Monday.” Prosci recommends targeting messages by group, timing and sender [Prosci, 2026]. (prosci.com)
Involve representative users. Ask managers, impacted employees, change champions and support teams to review whether the page answers their real questions. Treat critical feedback as useful data, not resistance. Research on participation during change shows that involvement and resistance can be intertwined and need careful facilitation [Sahay & Goldthwaite, 2023]. (journals.sagepub.com)
Launch through trusted messengers. Ask the sponsor to explain why the site exists, managers to show teams how to use it, and champions to surface missing questions. McKinsey’s transformation research emphasizes that successful transformations are more likely to use line-manager briefings and involve influencers who provide feedback and support managers [McKinsey, 2021]. (mckinsey.com)
Maintain and measure. Assign an owner, update the page on a fixed rhythm, remove obsolete content and publish “what changed this week.” PMI recommends measuring comprehension and desired behavior change, not just whether messages were sent or read [PMI, 2015]. (pmi.org)
Example: how this could be applied in a real change initiative
In an ERP rollout, the change manager creates an intranet hub six months before go-live. At first, it explains the business reason, high-level timeline and impacted functions. Three months before go-live, it adds role-based pages for finance, procurement and operations. Each page includes process changes, training dates, readiness actions and manager prompts. At go-live, the homepage changes to “Get help now,” with known issues, support hours and quick reference guides. In sustain, it shifts to adoption tips, success stories and recurring process reminders.
Roles and responsibilities
Role | Responsibility |
Change manager | Owns adoption purpose, audience needs, feedback loop and measurement. |
Sponsor | Provides visible rationale and reinforces priority. |
People managers | Translate content into team implications and answer local questions. |
Communications or content lead | Writes, edits and governs content quality. |
Project SMEs | Validate technical and process accuracy. |
L&D and support teams | Provide training links, help routes and knowledge articles. |
Change champions | Test usability, gather questions and flag resistance themes. |
IT/accessibility owner | Ensures access, security, search and accessibility compliance. |
Common mistakes to avoid
Mistake | Better approach |
Publishing a document dump | Design around tasks, questions and decisions. |
Using one message for all groups | Tailor by impact, role and phase. |
Launching once and neglecting updates | Use an owner, cadence and visible update log. |
Hiding difficult impacts | Explain known impacts honestly and say what is still undecided. |
Treating the page as engagement | Pair it with manager briefings, Q&A and feedback channels. |
Measuring only page views | Measure comprehension, action completion and adoption behavior. |
Measures of success or adoption indicators
Useful indicators include unique visitors from impacted groups, search terms, repeat questions, time to find key content, training completion, FAQ themes, manager confidence, support ticket volume, sentiment, readiness survey results and completion of required actions. The strongest measures connect the page to adoption outcomes: fewer avoidable support requests, higher readiness, better process compliance and improved use of the new way of working [PMI, 2015; University of Exeter]. (pmi.org)
Checklist for the change manager
The page has a clear adoption purpose.
Each impacted audience has defined user needs.
The site explains why, what, who is impacted, what to do and where to get help.
Content is plain English, searchable, scannable and accessible.
Sponsors, managers and champions know how to use it.
There is a named content owner and update cadence.
Feedback is collected, answered and used to improve the page.
Measures include comprehension, action completion and adoption indicators.
Optional reusable message outline
Page headline: What is changing and when
Why it matters: Business reason and employee relevance
What changes for you: Role-specific impact summary
What you need to do now: Three priority actions
Key dates: Decision, training, go-live and support milestones
How to get ready: Training, checklist and manager discussion guide
Where to get help: Support channel, FAQs and escalation route
Latest update: Date-stamped changes since the last version
Feedback prompt: “What question is not answered here?”
References
Prosci. “5 Steps to Better Change Management Communication + Template.” Published March 31, 2024; updated May 21, 2026. https://www.prosci.com/blog/change-management-communication
University of Exeter. “11. Stakeholder Communication.” Change Blueprint. No publication date shown. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/strategicdeliveryunit/changeblueprint/framework/smartengagement/11stakeholdercommunication/
Ferraro, Jack P. “Measure twice, change once: practical strategies for change management.” Project Management Institute, October 10, 2015. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/practical-strategies-for-change-management-9887
McKinsey & Company. “Losing from day one: Why even successful transformations fall short.” December 7, 2021. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/successful-transformations
GOV.UK Content and Publishing Guidance. “Understand content design.” No publication date shown. https://guidance.publishing.service.gov.uk/writing-to-gov-uk-standards/plan-manage-content/understand-content-design/
World Wide Web Consortium. “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2.” W3C Recommendation, December 12, 2024; originally published October 5, 2023. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/
Nielsen Norman Group. “Intranet Design Annual 2021.” 2021. https://media.nngroup.com/media/reports/free/Intranet_Design_Annual_2021.pdf
Sahay, Surabhi, and Christine Goldthwaite. “Participatory Practices During Organizational Change: Rethinking Participation and Resistance.” Management Communication Quarterly. First published online July 11, 2023; 2024 issue. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/08933189231187883