Living Transformation® is a lightweight, incremental transformation framework. It organizes change not as a one-time program, but as a continuous three-month cycle, known as a Transformation Increment (TI). Each TI starts with a Transformation Increment Planning Event (TIPE), leads to verifiable results ("Transformation Changes") via clearly defined events, roles, and artifacts, and ends with a Measure & Improve. Core principle: Change comes from within, with clearly defined employee capacity – instead of outsourced shadow organizations.
Practical relevance
A typical process includes:
• Urgency Workshop: Creates urgency based on figures, benchmarks, feedback, and lessons learned.
• Prio Event: Transformation Epics ("TrEpics") in the backlog are evaluated and prioritized.
• Capa event: Determination of how much capacity employees contribute to the next TI (e.g., 25–30%).
• TIPE (Planning): Breakdown of prioritized TrEpics into transformation features with clear acceptance criteria.
• Implementation: TI usually consists of three 4-week sprints in which TrEpic teams focus on implementing transformation changes.
• Measure & Improve: Review of results, adjustment for the next TI.
Roles:
• Transformation Owner (TO) – accountable for the transformation, not just a sponsor.
• Transformation Master (TM) – facilitator and coach for the process.
• TrEpic teams – interdisciplinary teams, assembled specifically for TI.
Artifacts:
• Transformation Epics, Features, User Stories
• Program Risk Board with ROAM
• Solution-like backlog structure for transformation
Typical misunderstandings
❌ "Another heavy scaling framework" – LT is methodologically lean, reducing preparation to what is necessary.
❌ "Transformation alongside day-to-day business" – wrong: employees contribute clearly defined capacity.
❌ "Top-down campaign" – Transformation is embedded in teams, not just at the management level.
❌ "One-time initiative" – Living Transformation is an ongoing operation, not a project with an end date.
Why traditional approaches fail
• Overplanning & copy-paste: Traditional transformations rely on extensive preparation phases or copying recipes – too slow and inappropriate.
• Shadow organizations: Change happens outside the line – employees don't support it.
• Top-down programs without urgency: A lack of urgency creates "change fatigue."
• Unclear measurement: Traditional programs often fail to deliver verifiable increments.
Advantages of the approach
• Predictable results: Verifiable changes every three months thanks to the TI cadence.
• Genuine participation: Employees are involved on a pro rata basis → Ownership and acceptance increase.
• Simple & transparent: Lean events, clear sequence (prioritization → capacity → planning).
• Continuity: Change becomes the norm, not an exception.
• Measurable impact: Changes ("transformation changes") are verifiable and lead to a higher learning rate.
Guiding Principles
1. Start with Urgency – Transformation begins with urgency and a genuine mandate.
2. Deliver Change in TIs – Change takes place in fixed, short time boxes.
3. Priorize → Capacitize → Plan – The sequence is mandatory: first goals, then capacity, then planning.
4. Change from within – Employees actively contribute; no shadow organization.
5. Keep it simple – Lean process, preparation for what is necessary.
6. Transparency, Focus, Orientation, Continuity – clear rules, visible orientation, continuous routines.
7. People & Interactions first – collaboration beats dogma.
Practical example
A company introduced benchmarks and employee surveys in an urgency workshop to highlight the need for action. In the first TI, three TrEpics with 25% capacity were implemented from five areas. In the TIPE, the TrEpics were broken down into features with clear dependencies. After three 4-week sprints, Measure & Improve showed: –28% approval time, improved compliance documentation, and two systemic obstacles removed.
Application by coaches
• Orchestrate urgency workshops: Create clarity, data, and urgency.
• Moderate Prio & Capa events: Ensure that the order is adhered to.
• Maintain TIPE quality: Transformation features with clear definitions.
• Ensure learning routines: Measure & Improve → anchor continuous learning.
• Make risks transparent: Use program risk board and ROAM.
CALADE perspective
Living Transformation® is our own approach and is applied by CALADE in projects and programs. We advise organizations on whether and how to adapt this approach and support them in establishing the necessary routines, roles, and events. CALADE coaches and consultants are trained in Living Transformation® and help companies establish change as an ongoing capability.
Related terms & sources
• Book: Living Transformation – Live Change. This is how organizational change succeeds. (Mario André Brückner)
• Podcast "Living Transformation®" – Practical reports and expert discussions
• Website & glossary: living-transformation.com with glossary (TI, TIPE, TrEpic, Capa event, etc.)
• Related concepts: Transformation Increment, Transformation Owner, Transformation Master, Prio/Capa Event, Program Risk Board
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