The ADKAR model is one of the most widely used frameworks in change management. It explains change from the point of view of the individual: an organization only changes when the people in it do. This guide covers what the ADKAR model is, its five stages, how to apply it step by step, its pros and cons, ADKAR vs Kotter, and practical examples, including how to use ADKAR for software rollouts.

What Is the ADKAR Model?

The ADKAR model, often called Prosci ADKAR, is a change management model that describes five outcomes a person must reach, in order, for a change to succeed. ADKAR stands for:

Because the stages build on each other, ADKAR change management helps leaders find exactly where people are stuck. Someone who lacks Awareness will not develop Desire, and someone with Knowledge but no Ability will still struggle in their day-to-day work.

Where the ADKAR Model Comes From

Jeff Hiatt, the founder of Prosci, developed the ADKAR model after studying how organizations and employees experienced change. He set it out in his 2006 book, ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and Our Community. Prosci still teaches the model as part of its change management methodology.

The 5 Stages of the ADKAR Model

A: Awareness

Awareness means a person understands why the change is happening, what the risks of not changing are, and what will be different.

What influences it: How the change is communicated, who explains it, and whether people believe the reasons.

How to build it: Explain the business reasons early and repeatedly, through senior leaders for the why and direct managers for what it means locally.

Example: A company explains that its old system cannot support growth and shares the timeline for replacing it.

D: Desire

Desire means a person chooses to support and take part in the change. It is personal and cannot be ordered.

What influences it: What the person gains or loses, their trust in leadership, and the views of their peers.

How to build it: Show what improves for each role, involve people early, address concerns honestly, and use managers and change champions.

Example: Managers show their teams how the new process removes a tedious weekly task.

K: Knowledge

Knowledge means a person knows how to change: the new skills, processes and tools involved.

What influences it: Current skills, the complexity of the change, and access to good training.

How to build it: Provide role-based training, clear guides and examples focused on the tasks people actually perform.

Example: Employees watch short training videos and follow step-by-step guides for their main tasks.

A: Ability

Ability means a person can actually perform the new behaviors in their daily work, not just understand them.

What influences it: Practice time, hands-on support, and whether people have the right tools and resources.

How to build it: Give time to practice, coaching, support at the point of need, and feedback in the first weeks.

Example: Employees practice in a test environment and get on-the-job support after launch.

R: Reinforcement

Reinforcement means the change is sustained and people do not drift back to old ways.

What influences it: Recognition, measurement, accountability and whether the old way is still available.

How to build it: Celebrate early wins, measure adoption, coach where people slip, and remove old workarounds.

Example: Leaders review adoption monthly, recognize teams that switched fully and retire the old system.

How to Implement the ADKAR Model Step by Step

1. Define the change and who it affects, group by group.

2. Assess each group against the five ADKAR elements.

3. Find the barrier point, the first element where people score low.

4. Plan targeted actions for that element: communication, involvement, training, practice or reinforcement.

5. Carry out and support the actions, with managers and change champions involved.

6. Reassess and reinforce until the change is sustained.

ADKAR Assessment: Find the Barrier Point

An ADKAR assessment asks people to rate each element from 1 to 5. The first element scoring 3 or lower is the barrier point, the stage to fix before moving on. For example, if Awareness and Desire score 4 but Knowledge scores 2, more communication will not help; better training will.

ADKAR Model Examples

Applying ADKAR to Software Rollouts

Software rollouts are one of the most common uses of ADKAR, because adoption depends on each person changing how they work. Awareness and Desire come from clear communication and role-specific benefits. Knowledge and Ability come from task-based training, practice and help at the point of need, such as Salesforce in-app guidance. Reinforcement comes from tracking end-user adoption metrics and keeping training current after go-live.

How Trupeer supports Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement

• Knowledge:
  Record a task in the new system with the Trupeer Chrome extension and click Generate AI Content to get a training video and a step-by-step guide. Existing decks and documents can be turned into videos too.

• Ability:
  Publish content in a knowledge base where employees can search with Ask AI at the moment they need help.

• Reinforcement:
  Update content when the system changes, and use knowledge base analytics to spot unresolved searches and stale content.

ADKAR Template

Use this simple ADKAR template for each group affected by the change:

• Group:
  [Role or team]

• Awareness actions:
  [Messages, channels, dates]

• Desire actions:
  [Benefits for this group, champions, feedback]

• Knowledge actions:
  [Training and guides]

• Ability actions:
  [Practice, coaching, support]

• Reinforcement actions:
  [Metrics, recognition, follow-up]

• Owner and dates:
  [Who and when]

ADKAR vs Kotter

Kotter’s 8-step model guides change at the organizational level, from creating urgency and building a guiding coalition to anchoring the change in culture. The ADKAR framework focuses on the outcomes each individual needs to reach. Many organizations use Kotter to plan the overall program and ADKAR to manage adoption for each group of people.

Pros and Cons of the ADKAR Model

• Pros:
  Simple to understand, focused on people, makes barriers visible, and works for changes of any size.

• Cons:
  Can feel linear when real change is messy, focuses less on organizational strategy, and needs other tools for planning large programs.

For more, see these change management examples and our comparison of change management software.

Final Thoughts

The ADKAR change management model works because it breaks change into five outcomes you can plan for and measure. Build Awareness and Desire through clear, honest communication, develop Knowledge and Ability through practical training and support, and keep reinforcing the change until it becomes the normal way of working.