In short: the 6Ws are six questions every change programme should answer before work starts: Why (purpose), What (scope), Who (ownership), Where (context), When (timing) and How (execution). Leave any one unanswered and the programme is at risk before the first workshop.
No WHY. No WHAT. No WHO. And somehow we expect results.
Most change programmes fail before the first workshop. Because nobody answered these six questions. The 6Ws. Or "6 Dubyas", if you prefer plain English.
Before the first licence. Before the first "quick win". Because the basics were not nailed.
Here are the 6Ws I use on every programme.
WHY - Purpose
Why are we really doing this? Not the PowerPoint version. The real one.
- What business problem are we fixing?
- What happens if we do not act?
- Who actually cares?
If you cannot answer this clearly, adoption will die quietly later.
WHAT - Scope
What exactly is changing? Not "digital transformation". Not "modernisation". Specifically:
- Process?
- Data?
- Behaviour?
- Roles?
- Systems?
Vague "what" means scope creep and frustration.
WHO - Ownership
Who owns this? Not "the project team".
- Who decides?
- Who funds?
- Who removes blockers?
- Who is accountable at 10pm when it breaks?
No named owner means shared blame later.
WHERE - Context
Where does this land?
- Which teams?
- Which sites?
- Which customers?
- Which systems?
Change never happens in a vacuum. Ignore context and resistance appears "out of nowhere". It did not. You just missed it.
WHEN - Timing
When does this really happen? Not the optimistic plan. Reality:
- When can people engage?
- When are peak periods?
- When do dependencies land?
Bad timing kills good ideas. Silently.
HOW - Execution
How will this actually work day to day? Not the vendor demo. Not the slide deck.
- Training?
- Support?
- Governance?
- Data discipline?
- Adoption metrics?
If "how" means "we will work it out", you will not.
The reality
No clear 6Ws means confusion, low adoption, a blame culture and wasted spend. And lots of "lessons learned" that nobody ever applies.
For the pedants, it is really five Ws and one H, but there is no need to split hairs. Which W is missing from your current situation?
Where does your programme stand against the 6Ws?
The Programme and Business Readiness Assessment tests the foundations in thirteen questions across four areas: sponsorship and leadership, capacity and data, stakeholders and governance, and delivery and readiness. Print it and take it to the kickoff.
Use the Readiness Assessment Read the FAQ