Case Study: Guiding adoption of new systems and processes across a critical-infrastructure transformation
Client: Icon Water
Project: Enterprise digital transformation, Digital Technology Group Change Team
How Profectus embeds experienced change managers within Icon Water’s Digital Technology Group to guide adoption of new IT systems and business processes through structured organisational change management, aligned to the client’s own OCM frameworks and without disrupting essential water and sewerage services.
Client and context
Icon Water is the ACT’s primary provider of essential water and sewerage services and has been a cornerstone of the region for over 100 years. With more than $2.7 billion in assets, including dams, reservoirs, treatment plants and critical infrastructure, Icon Water plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term security of the Capital region’s water supply.
Following its separation from ActewAGL and subsequent rebranding from ACTEW to Icon Water, the organisation embarked on a large-scale digital transformation initiative. As part of this transition, Icon Water required a structured approach to organisational change management (OCM) to support the adoption of new IT systems and modern business processes.
The engagement
To support the final efforts in transition, Profectus was engaged to provide experienced change managers who would guide the organisation through this critical phase, ensuring alignment with Icon Water’s established OCM frameworks and methodologies. Profectus change managers are embedded within Icon Water’s Digital Technology Group Change Team, working closely with stakeholders to develop and execute a structured change management strategy so that employees across both field and office-based roles can successfully adopt the new systems.
The challenge
Modernising the digital environment of an essential-services provider placed several compounding demands on the change effort:
- Service continuity: driving adoption of new IT systems and business processes without disrupting essential water and sewerage services that the Capital region depends on
- Diverse workforce: supporting employees across both field-based and office-based roles, with differing systems, workflows and levels of technical confidence
- Framework alignment: integrating all change activity into Icon Water’s established OCM structures and methodologies to maintain a consistent, organisation-wide approach
- Resistance to change: addressing concerns and feedback across business units so that employees engage with, rather than resist, new ways of working
Our approach
Profectus applied structured OCM across the transformation, delivered by experienced change managers working inside the client’s own Change Team.
Change impact and readiness
Change impact assessments are conducted across all business units to analyse workflows, identify challenges and determine the level of support required for effective transition. Business readiness assessments measure the organisation’s preparedness for change and inform tailored strategies to support employees at different levels, all directly integrated into Icon Water’s internal OCM structures.
Stakeholder engagement and communications
Profectus has developed comprehensive communication plans to ensure clarity at all stages. Targeted materials, including stakeholder briefings, executive updates and end-user guides, address concerns and provide a structured roadmap for adoption, while change impact workshops align leadership, project teams and employees so that expectations and transition processes are well understood.
Training and knowledge transfer
Hands-on training sessions are tailored to both technical and non-technical users, equipping employees to navigate new systems with confidence. Personalised support sessions help staff adapt to the changes, while structured knowledge transfer ensures internal teams will be capable of managing the systems independently, with training carefully aligned to Icon Water’s established OCM methodologies.
What we delivered
- Structured change strategy: a change management strategy developed and executed inside the Digital Technology Group Change Team, fully integrated with Icon Water’s internal OCM frameworks
- Assessment-led planning: change impact assessments across all business units and business readiness assessments that inform tailored support for employees at every level
- Clear communications: comprehensive communication plans and materials, executive updates and change impact workshops that keep leadership, project teams and employees aligned
- Capable end users: role-appropriate training, personalised support and knowledge transfer that build internal capability, with performance tracking established to measure adoption success and refine support
Systems and methods
Change impact assessment · Business readiness assessment · Stakeholder communication planning · Training and knowledge transfer · Adoption performance tracking
The result
Profectus continues to play a key role in facilitating a smooth transition to new systems across Icon Water’s operations. Employees are gradually adapting to the changes, with measures in place to minimise disruption to services and maintain operational efficiency. Through targeted training, proactive stakeholder engagement and structured change impact assessments, and by working fully within Icon Water’s internal OCM structures, Profectus is supporting the organisation in modernising its digital environment while empowering employees with the tools and confidence to embrace new ways of working.