Effective business requirements analysis and process modeling are crucial for supporting change management in digital transformation by clarifying needs, reducing resistance, and ensuring alignment with strategic goals. Requirements analysis identifies specific organizational needs, helping to tailor digital solutions that address pain points and optimize workflows. This reduces ambiguity and aligns stakeholders on expected outcomes, fostering buy-in from employees and leadership alike.

Process modeling visualizes existing workflows and proposed changes, highlighting inefficiencies and potential improvements. By mapping these processes, organizations can streamline operations, reduce redundancies, and create a clear roadmap for transition. This transparency facilitates smoother adaptation to new technologies by setting clear expectations and minimizing disruptions. Moreover, process modeling supports training and communication efforts, essential for a positive change culture. Together, requirements analysis and process modeling enable proactive, structured change management, enhancing the likelihood of a successful digital transformation

Action Plans for Supporting Change Management in Digital Transformation

Effective business requirements analysis and process modeling are crucial for change management in digital transformation. They help map current workflows, identify inefficiencies, and define clear objectives for future processes. Engaging stakeholders through these tools ensures alignment, reduces resistance, and prioritizes critical changes. Additionally, they minimize risks by identifying gaps, supporting impact assessment, and facilitating training. This structured approach ensures technology fits organizational needs and fosters smoother transitions, enhancing the success of digital transformation efforts.

Dear Raymond Agbor I'm sure you could take a lot out of the previous answers that are very technical and I'm sure suitable for the research you're doing.

As I'm a human factors guy, I tried to spin it a different way: Thinking about the impact particularly for the people involved in the organization. I hope you find this helpful and maybe even fun.

Business Requirements and Process Modeling are game-changers in digital transformation.

When you do them right, they’re like a blueprint for hacking the future of any business. Here’s why they’re worth your time if you’re diving into a transformation project:

1.) Set the North Star: Business requirements analysis is like putting a pin on the map. You want everyone to know exactly where you’re going, right? Requirements give you that North Star so your team isn’t wasting time arguing about the direction mid-journey. It’s pure alignment from day one, and that’s huge because you can’t win big if your team’s all over the place.

2.) Make it real: Here’s the thing—people need to see the change. Process modeling takes the abstract and turns it into something visual. You’re not just saying, “Hey, we’re transforming.” You’re saying, “This is what our work looks like now, and this is what it’ll look like after.” It’s like selling the dream, but with a roadmap attached. Less confusion, fewer rumors, and you’re giving your team a peek into their own future.

3.) Spot the bumps early: No one likes to get blindsided. When you map out requirements and processes, you’re not only saying, “Here’s where we’re headed,” but also, “Here’s what’s going to change for you, specifically.” It’s empathy mixed with strategy. Knowing who’s impacted and how means you can prepare people and prevent unnecessary friction, especially from those who might resist the change.

4.) Mitigate risk through informed decision-making: You wouldn’t launch a product without testing it, right? So, think of process modeling like your test drive. You’re checking if this new, digital version of your - or any - business is going to run smoothly. If there’s a hiccup, you catch it early and course-correct. It’s strategic insurance. You’re not leaving anything up to chance because you’ve already played it out, so your decisions are based on data, not guesswork.

5.) Get everyone bought in: People want to be part of something that matters. When you bring them in on the requirements and the processes, it’s like saying, “Hey, you’re part of building this.” Suddenly, they’re invested. They’re going to care more, contribute more, and, importantly, they’re way less likely to resist change if they helped shape it.

6.) Metrics to track wins: You need data to know if this is working, right? Requirements and process models set your metrics—those are your scorecards. Track it, show progress, and celebrate it. Momentum is everything when it comes to change, so keep those wins visible. Progress isn’t just a feel-good thing; it’s proof that transformation is happening, and it’s fueling the team to keep pushing forward.

Requirements and process modeling may not sound sexy at first, but they’re like secret weapons in your change-management toolkit. They give you control, minimize risks, and set up a foundation that’s as real as it gets. Without them, you’re flying blind; with them, you’re unstoppable.

Kind regards and good luck with your research!

Michael

The analysis of business requirements and the modelling of processes are essential in facilitating change management, especially within the framework of digital transformation. These methodologies assist organisations in harmonising their operational strategies with technological innovations, thereby facilitating a more seamless transition and maintaining a sustained competitive edge. Ultimately, these methodologies not only improve operational efficiency but also enable the cultural transformations essential for digital resilience.

Have you looked into the 7 S model? The alignment the model suggests is arguably critical for digital transformation.

Up to my understanding, you have got all the steps in your question; only step missing is "Systems Implementation". Actually following is the sequence:

"Requirements Analysis => Process Modeling (may be business processes modeling) => IT/Systems Implementation => Systems Deployment (phase wise) => in turn Change Implementation => Achieving Organizational Objective"

This is how requirements analysis and process modeling helping us achieve change in organization. That is, with the help of Systems Implementation, Systems Deployment, in turn Achieving Changed Business Processes, Effecting Customer Satisfaction => in turn reaching organizational objective of change implementation.

just check, this may be useful;

best wishes,

Dr.Goparaju Purna Sudhakar, PhD, PMP

India

Dear Raymond Agbor

maybe Institutional Theory can give you a good lens through which to view your problem.

Institutional theory emphasizes that organizations operate within an environment of institutional norms, pressures, and expectations, which influence their behavior and decision-making (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983). In the context of digital transformation, business requirements analysis and process modeling serve as mechanisms to mediate between these external pressures and internal organizational structures:

1. Addressing Institutional Pressure

Coercive Pressures: Organizations face legal, regulatory, or stakeholder demands that mandate certain digital standards or practices. For instance, compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR) may require significant changes in IT systems. Business requirements analysis identifies these mandatory changes, ensuring that the organization aligns its processes with external expectations. Mimetic Pressures: Uncertainty about digital trends often leads organizations to emulate the practices of perceived leaders in their field. Process modeling helps structure these imitated practices into workflows that fit the organization’s unique context, reducing the risks of blindly copying external models. Normative Pressures: Professional norms and industry standards encourage organizations to adopt "best practices" for digital transformation. Business requirements analysis helps translate these standards into actionable processes, ensuring that the organization’s change initiatives are both legitimate and effective.

2. Legitimacy in Change Management

Institutional theory underscores the importance of legitimacy—organizations must be seen as competent and aligned with societal and stakeholder expectations. Business requirements analysis helps achieve this by systematically documenting the organization's goals, constraints, and stakeholder needs, which ensures that the digital transformation aligns with both internal strategies and external demands. Process modeling visually communicates these changes, enhancing transparency and stakeholder buy-in, which are critical for maintaining legitimacy during change.

Role of Business Requirements Analysis and Process Modeling

Identifying Institutional Constraints and OpportunitiesBusiness requirements analysis systematically examines the external and internal factors influencing the organization. By integrating an institutional lens, analysts can identify constraints such as compliance obligations and cultural resistance, as well as opportunities like the adoption of industry standards or partnerships with digital innovators.

Example: A public-sector organization undergoing digital transformation may use requirements analysis to address coercive pressures such as e-government mandates while also aligning with normative pressures to adopt user-friendly digital services.

Bridging Technical and Institutional ChangesProcess modeling translates the findings of business requirements analysis into visual workflows and systems, bridging technical solutions with institutional requirements. These models help identify redundancies, inefficiencies, and misalignments with institutional norms, enabling smoother transitions.

Example: In a retail organization, process modeling might align new e-commerce systems with regulatory requirements for consumer data protection, ensuring both technical efficiency and institutional compliance.

Facilitating Organizational Learning and Norm AdaptationBoth tools foster organizational learning by clarifying how new processes align with or diverge from existing norms. By visualizing future-state processes, process modeling can help stakeholders understand how institutional norms will be preserved or adapted in the transformed organization, reducing resistance to change.

Example: A healthcare provider may use process modeling to demonstrate how adopting digital health records enhances compliance with industry standards while maintaining patient care quality.

Institutional theory enriches the practice of business requirements analysis and process modeling by highlighting the broader environmental forces shaping organizational behavior. It ensures that change management strategies are not only technically sound but also institutionally coherent. This alignment is crucial for sustaining organizational legitimacy, fostering stakeholder trust, and ensuring the long-term success of digital transformation initiatives.

• DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.
• Scott, W. R. (2001). Institutions and organizations: Ideas, interests, and identities. Sage Publications.
• Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340–363.
• Patalon, M. & Wyczisk, A. (2024). Mapping digital transformation of municipalities through the lens of institutional isomorphism. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences (IJonSES), 6(4), 600-635. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.701