One of the greatest business challenges of implementing new technology solutions is user adoption. However, businesses can significantly increase user adoption and overcome this challenge by involving end users from the beginning of the project and providing comprehensive training.
Ensure you get the most out of your technology investment by encouraging user adoption with early end-user involvement.
User adoption starts during the business analysis (BA) phase of a project. For a solution to meet the business needs of any organization, it is important for technology partners to sit down with end users to document processes currently employed to complete day-to-day tasks. Furthermore, it is equally important to gather input from staff members throughout the organization on the current system’s problems and benefits. Involving end users from the start encourages those users to take ownership of the new solution, instead of feeling as if it is being forced on them.
In addition to involving end users in the BA phase of a project, including them in the testing, validation and training phases ensures that the solution meets the day-to-day needs of the staff. Along with testing the system for functionality, training materials are developed during this phase. This is because in order to test the system, staff members need training on the system capabilities and the components with which they will test.
As the solution is rolled out, or goes live, training will become even more critical to user adoption. Work with your project team to develop a comprehensive training phase tailored to the end-user’s comfort level with the solution, as well as other considerations, such as a remote location. These training sessions will boost staff members’ confidence in their own skills, as well as their comfort with the solution. To further increase user adoption, provide users with job aids that include diagrams and step-by-step instructions with screen captures for commonly used processes.
In the end, you can implement the perfect solution for your organization – but if nobody uses it you have wasted both time and money. Ensure you get the most out of your technology investment by encouraging user adoption with early end-user involvement and continuing to cultivate it throughout the implementation process and beyond.