You found the top-rated software provider with the most decorated credentials. You saw that big names in the industry are using it. You spent thousands of dollars subscribing to it. But after 3 months, your team continued to struggle with it and ended up not using it. Where did it go wrong?
Boston Consulting Group estimated that 70% of tech implementations and digital transformation projects were unsuccessful. Reasons vary from choosing the wrong tool to unclear implementation to lack of training to poor adoption. These issues could have easily been addressed by the 3 keys to a successful implementation – the process, the tool, and the people.
1. Identify the Gaps in your Process
It is okay to look for what big names use in their own company. That filters out which tools have been tried and tested, but your final decision shouldn’t be dependent solely on what others are using. What works for them may not work for you. Their problems are not the same as yours, so conducting your own research and assessing your business needs are crucial.
This is the first step to a successful implementation. You need to assess what your business currently needs by conducting a gap analysis. Have a clear idea of the inefficiencies and the pain points in the process. Then paint the picture of what you want your operations to look like and identify how to make that future state a reality. Only after you’ve done this, can you start choosing your options.
2. Select a Tool that Fits your Business Needs
Select a tool with the best features and best value for money, but more importantly, offers the most suitable solution to your business needs. Do your own research. Read through articles and reviews from current users. Know the pros and cons and the cost of subscribing to it. Request for a demo to clearly picture if that is the tool that you need. Do what you need to do to make sure that it’s the right fit for your organization.
The tool should complement the process, not go against it. They need to align for it to function for its purpose – to make the process efficient and to make the users’ lives easier.
3. Engage with Your Users
A tool will only be as good as its user, thus the need to put people at the center of your solution. Do they have the proper knowledge and skillset to run the software? Is the tool making their lives easier or harder? Do they have a positive attitude towards the changes happening?
There must be buy-in from all users to increase the success of the implementation. John Maxwell suggests that the only way you can influence someone to do something is if you make them want to do it. The best way to make them open to change is to involve them from the beginning. While doing the gap analysis, the users’ needs and pain points must be at the heart of the issue. You need to let them know that you hear them and their struggles.
Constant communication is important. Users must be clear on the timelines and the whole process as they are the ones directly affected by the changes. It is not just about putting deadlines in place but also giving users time to mentally prepare for what is next. Ways of working will change. Behavior and daily cadence will be impacted. Previous habits will have to be unlearned.
Not everyone has the same background, expertise, and knowledge. Conducting user training expedites the learning process. Users should never have to self-discover because everyone should be comfortable and knowledgeable about the platform they’re using by the time it’s rolled out. This also ensures that everyone is on the same page and knows the same process. Training is a good avenue to raise any concerns, address any issues, and learn from each other’s feedback.
Again, implementation is not a one-way street. You want to continue building that trust and connection with the users. By getting their feedback, you gain their trust and implicitly say that you hear them. It must tie back to why you are doing this – to address their pain points and offer a solution to the business need.
4. The Secret Fourth Aspect: Driving the Culture of Constant Improvement
If I were to add a fourth key, it would have to be the culture of constant improvement. Culture also plays a big role in the adoption of tools. Leaders need to create an environment where innovation and systemization are encouraged. In doing so, you create your own change makers within the company.
