The U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) faced a backlog of over 3,600 cases due to prolonged board vacancies. Their outdated case adjudication systems, unsupported for years, needed a full modernization. With 6,000 external appellants annually, the transition’s impact was significant. CMGT was engaged to provide strategic change management and communication support throughout the process.

CMGT conducted stakeholder interviews and assessments, identifying challenges and resistance points. Using McKinsey’s 7-S Model and Kotter’s 8 Steps for Leading Change, CMGT aligned leadership and built a guiding coalition. The ADKAR model shaped user engagement efforts, ensuring effective training and adoption. CMGT also established a change management working group, facilitating regular updates, feedback sessions, and risk assessments.

Within eight months, the new e-Appeal system reduced the case backlog by over 70%, supporting 190 internal and 11,500 external users. Ninety-five percent of MSPB legal staff completed training, with strong engagement and positive feedback.