Old and New Story's

Change initiatives can energise or create resistance depending on how leaders articulate the journey from past to future.

The concept of Old and New Stories harnesses the power of narrative, our key tool for helping organisations understand, accept, and act on change.

In this article, we explore how to craft compelling stories, distinguish the roles of Business Analysts and the Change Management Team, and leverage these frameworks to accelerate adoption.

Note:  In this article, all references to the Change Manager (CM) refer to one or more members of the change team who are responsible for completing the Old/New Story deliverables.

What are Old and New Story’s

An Old Story is an honest account of current state.  It catalogues the current workflow processes, pain points, cultural norms, adaptions, work-arounds and experiences today.

The New Story is a motivating vision of the future.  It provides a vivid, believable vision describing improved future workflows, ways of working, benefits, behaviours, outcomes and measures of success after the change.

These stories are the cognitive and emotional bridge for people moving from familiar territory into new ways of working.

Other terms for Old and New Story’s include Current-State/As-Is and Future-State/To-Be, respectively. There is no universally correct label; consistency is key.

Why Stories Matter

• The validation of experience and contributions builds trust and urgency
• A vivid vision of the future reduces anxiety and inspires commitment
• Stories combine technical and human perspectives for complete adoption

The Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration between Business Analysts (BA) who capture process reality and future design and the Change Management Team (CM) who address human experience, readiness, and narrative communication, is essential.

Both technical documentation and emotional insight are required to build effective Old and New Stories.

By working together:

• BA and CM co-create stories to merge technical accuracy with emotional resonance
• There is a shared responsibility for mapping impact, documenting reality, and defining future scenarios
• Joint activities include interviews, gap analysis, documentation, training, communication, and impact assessments

What is the Old Story?

The Old Story is an honest, respectful description of how things work today. It captures the reality of current processes, systems, behaviours, and experience, both positive and negative.

Many change initiatives skip this step and jump straight to selling the future. This is a critical mistake because:

• Validation: People need to know that you understand their current reality
• Trust building: Acknowledging their pain points builds credibility
• Creating urgency: Highlighting problems justifies why change is necessary
• Honouring contributions: Respects what has worked in the past
• Establishing baseline: Provides a measurement point for progress

Remember: People will resist change if they feel their current experience is dismissed or misunderstood.

Key Components of the Old Story

Current Workflows and Processes

• How work flows today (step-by-step)
• Who does what and when
• Handoffs and dependencies

Existing Systems and Tools

• Technology currently used
• Manual vs. automated processes
• Integrations (or lack thereof)

Pain Points and Inefficiencies

• What frustrates people daily
• Where errors occur
• Bottlenecks and delays
• Resource constraints

Workarounds and Adaptations

• Creative solutions people have developed
• "Shadow systems" (unofficial tools/processes)
• Knowledge held by specific individuals

Cultural Norms and Behaviours

• "The way we've always done things"
• Unwritten rules
• Team dynamics and relationships

Historical Context

• Why current processes exist
• Previous change attempts
• What's been tried before

Current Sentiment

• How people feel about their work
• Sources of pride or accomplishment
• Anxiety or concern areas

The Two Perspectives on the Old Story

Business Analyst Perspective - The Technical View

The BA documents the mechanics of how work happens:

• Process flows with decision points and data flows
• System capabilities and limitations
• Performance metrics (cycle time, error rates, costs)
• Data structures and integrations
• Compliance and regulatory requirements

Example BA documentation:

• "Current order processing requires data entry in 5 separate systems"
• "Average cycle time: 4.2 hours per order"
• "Invoice error rate: 23%"
• "No real-time visibility into inventory levels"

 Change Manager Perspective – The Human View

The CM explores the human experience of current work:

• How people feel about their work
• What gives them pride or causes frustration
• Informal networks and relationships
• Fears and concerns about change
• Cultural norms and resistance points
• Capacity for change (change fatigue level)

Example CM documentation:

• "Finance team has used current system for 15 years and considers themselves experts"
• "Team has developed trusted Excel workarounds they rely on"
• "Concerns about job security due to automation"
• "Pride in being the 'go-to' people who can navigate complex systems"

What is the New Story?

The New Story is a compelling vision of the future that describes how work, experiences, and outcomes will improve after the change.

It's not just about new processes; it's about painting a picture that people can see themselves in.

The New Story serves multiple critical purposes:

• Reduces uncertainty: Clarifies what's changing and what's staying the same
• Inspires action: Creates positive motivation for change
• Addresses WIIFM: Shows "What's In It For Me" at a personal level
• Builds commitment: Helps people see themselves succeeding in the future
• Guides behaviour: Describes the new mindsets and ways of working
• Creates shared vision: Aligns everyone toward common goals

A weak New Story focuses only on technology or process improvements. A strong New Story shows how people's work lives will be better.

Key Components of the New Story

Future Workflows and Processes

• Streamlined, efficient processes
• Reduced handoffs and delays
• Clear roles and responsibilities

New Systems and Capabilities

• Technology features and benefits
• Automation of repetitive tasks
• Real-time access to information

Expected Benefits and Outcomes

• Business results (revenue, cost, quality)
• Customer experience improvements
• Team and individual benefits

Changed Roles and Value

• How roles evolve (not just shrink)
• New opportunities for contribution
• Shift from transactional to strategic work

New Behaviours and Mindsets

• Collaboration expectations
• Decision-making authority
• Innovation and continuous improvement

Day-in-the-Life Scenarios

• Concrete examples of typical workdays
• Specific situations showing improvements
• Relatable, realistic scenarios

Success Metrics

• How we'll measure progress
• What "good" looks like
• Celebration points along the journey

The Two Perspectives on the New Story

Business Analyst Perspective: Technical View

The BA designs the functional future:

• Optimized process flows
• System requirements and capabilities
• Integration points and data flows
• Performance targets and KPIs
• Business rules and logic
• Compliance and controls

Example BA documentation:

• "Integrated ERP with single point of data entry"
• "Automated workflow reduces processing time to 45 minutes"
• "Real-time dashboards for inventory and order status"
• "Mobile access for field team"
• "95% accuracy through automated validation"

 Change Manager Perspective: Human View

The CM articulates the experiential future:

• How daily work will feel different
• New skills and career opportunities
• How people will collaborate differently
• Emotional benefits (less stress, more satisfaction)
• Personal growth and development
• Team culture evolution

Example CM documentation:

• "Finance team becomes strategic business partners, not data processors"
• "Shift from repetitive entry to analysis and insights"
• "More interesting, value-added work that showcases expertise"
• "Real-time data means empowerment to answer customer questions immediately"
• "Career development opportunities in analytics and forecasting"

The most inspiring New Story weaves together technical capabilities and human benefits into a narrative people can emotionally connect with.

Please read the next article in this sequence, Old and New Story's: Navigating the Gap, Where Change Actually Happen

Download the Old and New Story’s Template.