How the Toolkit Maps to the AIM Implementation Roadmap
AIM organizes implementation into 10 practice areas. Each area includes targeted tools, diagnostics, and delivery options to guide your change from diagnosis to sustained adoption.
A Structured Path to Sustained Adoption
The IRF radar maps readiness across all 10 practice areas, revealing where your implementation is strong and where risk is highest.
Sample readiness profile shown. Run the IRF to generate your organization's actual radar.
Explore Each Practice Area
Select any practice area to see its tools, principles, and delivery options.
1
Define the Change: Foundation Tools
The first practice area in AIM. This is where your team creates a Business Case for Action (BCA).
The BCA is the foundation that provides everyone with a clear understanding of what is changing, why it's happening, and consequences of not changing. Without a clear BCA, implementation efforts stall.
Core Foundation Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| AIM BCA Template | Structured template for capturing BCA data. Creates a single 'source of truth.' |
| AIM Impact Assessment | Practical worksheet for capturing and analyzing change impacts. |
| AIM Toolkit: Define the Change | Step-by-step guidance on building the Foundation. |
| Visual Key Role Map Generator | Creates visual cascade diagram from Foundation data; validates AIM rules. |
Presentation & Communication Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| AIM BCA Quick Start | Walks your team through defining the BCA step by step. |
| AIM BCA 2025 Version 5.5 | Ready-to-use presentation for leaders and broader audiences. |
| Foundation Document | Reference point for scope, ownership, and progress measures. |
Quick Start Checklist
- Define your Foundation: Create a single 'source of truth' for BCA data.
- Determine the Scope: One initiative, a workstream, or enterprise-wide.
- Recruit your Team: Start with 3-6 participants.
- Build the Content: Capture 3-5 responses per BCA question.
- Refine and Consolidate: Collapse ideas into one cohesive draft.
- Socialize and Validate: Share with wider group, gather input.
- Finalize and Update: Treat BCA as a living document.
2
Build Agent Capacity
Develops the skills, credibility, and readiness of change agents who carry out day-to-day implementation.
Agents bridge leaders and targets, translate strategy into action, and help manage resistance in the field. Agents need both leader support AND peer credibility.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Agent Role Videos | Introduces Agent responsibilities and value; orients new agents. |
| Change Agent Toolkit | PRIMARY RESOURCE. Role clarity, diagnostics, resistance handling, coaching cadence. |
| Change Agent Assessment | Baseline capacity (availability, credibility, skills, influence). |
| Leader & Change Agent 360s | Multi-rater feedback for leadership access and agent effectiveness. |
- Coach leaders using EMR commitments.
- Use assessment insights to focus enablement rather than broad training.
- Run assessments annually or at each major initiative.
3
Assess the Climate
Understanding the existing environment informs your approach to everything else.
'Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.' Assess climate FIRST. It informs your approach to everything else.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| IRF | RUN FIRST. Predicts success from patterns of previous changes. |
| Organizational Change Stress Test | Measures current capacity for change. Go/no-go decisions. |
| Work Life Disruption Test | Measures personal disruption across 8 categories. |
4
Generate Sponsorship
Builds an active, visible chain of leaders who express, model, and reinforce the change.
Leadership is the single largest driver of implementation success. This area prevents 'black holes' where leadership fails to cascade.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship Videos | Overview of what leaders must do. |
| Black Hole Videos | Shows what happens when a level is skipped. |
| Leader Assessment | Evaluate leader strength at enterprise/portfolio level. |
| Leader Contracting Templates | Formalize leaders' commitments. |
Leader Toolkit Templates
| Template | Application |
|---|---|
| Leader Checklist | Present state, transition state, desired state evaluation. |
| Define the Change Worksheet | WIIFM, consequences, success measures, timeframe. |
| EMR Plan | Document what leaders will express, model, and reinforce. |
| Name-the-Resistance Guide | Diagnose resistance triggers and plan responses. |
| Reinforcement Tactics Matrix | Stage-appropriate consequences; early wins; cadence. |
- Treat leadership as action and position: the right people doing the right behaviors.
- Reinforcement changes outcomes faster than messages.
- Close black holes quickly. Stalled levels slow the entire organization.
5
Determine Change Approach
Helps you decide whether each target group needs to believe in the change (commitment) or simply do it (compliance).
'Do I need people to just do the change or believe in it?' The answer may vary by target group.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Change Type Classification | Commitment vs. Compliance for each target group. |
6
Develop Target Readiness
Focuses on preparing individuals and groups for changes that will impact their daily work.
When readiness is developed early, resistance decreases and adoption accelerates.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Target Readiness Videos | Introduces readiness and why it matters. |
| Predicting the Impact of Change | Assesses significance for different groups. |
| Individual Readiness Assessment (IRA) | Diagnoses gaps across the 5 elements. |
The 5 Elements of Target Readiness
Information
Do people understand what's changing and why?
Willingness
Are they willing to engage?
Ability
Do they have the skills?
Confidence
Do they believe they can succeed?
Control
Do they feel they have input?
7
Build Communication Plan
Designs targeted communication strategies aligned to each stage of the change.
Communication alone does not create adoption. Express (1x) establishes awareness, but Model (2x) and Reinforce (3x) drive sustained behavior change.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Communication Plan Video | Overview of AIM communication principles. |
| Communication Audit: Unfreezing | Creating readiness for change. |
| Communication Audit: Transition State | Effectiveness during the change. |
| Communication Audit: Refreezing | Reinforcing the new way of operating. |
| Ways to Gather Information | Feedback collection methods. |
8
Develop Reinforcement Strategy
Creates targeted reinforcement systems to sustain behavioral adoption.
Express (1x): Communicate what's changing and why. Model (2x): Demonstrate the new behavior yourself. Reinforce (3x): Apply consequences that drive sustained adoption. Reinforcement has 3x the impact of communication alone.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Targeted Reinforcement Index (TRI) 360 | Multi-rater reinforcement effectiveness. |
| Manager TRI | Manager self-assessment. |
| Employee Responds: Manager TRI | Employee feedback on manager. |
| Reinforcement Strategy Template | Positive and negative consequences plan. |
9
Create Cultural Fit
Addresses cultural barriers that contradict the change and prevent sustained adoption.
Culture shapes the unwritten rules people follow. If the culture contradicts the change, adoption will not stick.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Culture Videos | How organizational culture impacts implementation. |
| Culture Fit Conversations | Structured dialogues to surface cultural misalignment. |
10
Prioritize Action
Focuses effort where it matters most across all 10 practice areas.
The purpose of AIM is not to do AIM, but to have AIM guide you in what to do.
Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Implementation Risk Forecast (IRF) | Comprehensive risk across all 10 practice areas. |
| IRF Pulse Check (10-item) | Quick re-assessment for trend tracking. |
| Change Implementation Framework Guide | Practice areas, tools, application sequence. |
| Review of Principles, Tools, How-To's | Comprehensive AIM reference. |
Ready to Map Your Implementation?
Start with diagnostics to identify your highest-risk practice areas, then apply targeted tools where your change is most at risk.