Whether it’s a cloud migration, CRM/ERP implementation, or system software upgrade, nearly every company has embarked on technology rollouts. A recent survey of 1,800 executives of all-sized companies revealed that almost 80% of respondents reported undertaking a digital transformation in the last five years. However, the unfortunate reality is that most of these technology implementations fail – and it’s not because of the software or the company’s technical expertise. It’s because users are left behind, and user adoption doesn’t take hold.

This article will explain the importance of user adoption in any digital transformation and how change management improves technology adoption.

Why Is User Adoption Important?

Deploying technology is only part of the equation for a successful rollout. Even with a stellar IT plan, technical skill, and software reputation, you can still miss the mark, as evidenced by an abysmal 20-30% digital transformation success rate.

What are companies missing?

Many organizations launch technology without considering what employees need to adopt the new tool successfully. Devising a change management strategy that puts user adoption front and center of any rollout plan is a proven strategy for increasing your success rate and realizing your technology investment’s full value.

How change management improves technology adoption

When integrated with your software deployment, here’s how change management improves technology adoption:

• It aligns your leadership team around a clear vision
• When implementing new software, aligning your company’s leaders around a set vision is the first critical step of using change management to improve user adoption. The degree to which your leadership understands the change, its significance, and the roadmap to success directly influences their ability to recruit change champions throughout the organization. Without this top-down approach, managers are less likely to achieve the desired success in securing technology adoption among their employee teams.
• It opens communication to promote employee engagement and buy-in
• When exploring how change management improves technology adoption, the role of communication via employee outreach efforts reigns supreme. Incorporating persuasive and data-driven communications that reflect your leadership’s vision for the change engages your team in the change process, enhancing involvement, ownership, and buy-in across the board.
• It uses targeted learning and development tools to teach users
• Another critical factor to understanding how change management improves technology adoption involves a robust learning and development approach. A success-oriented strategy can identify which concepts employees need to learn for their day-to-day use and how to deliver that critical knowledge effectively. There are plenty of resources to promote sustained digital literacy, from e-Learning and instructor-led training to custom training videos and quick reference cards.
• It mitigates risks that could derail progress
• Whether it’s employee resistance, timeline inefficiencies, or budget-busting rework, there are plenty of potential roadblocks that could derail your company’s software rollout success. Mitigating these risks is another way that change management improves technology adoption. When embedded into a sound strategy, risk mitigation is an essential piece of the change management puzzle.
• It monitors progress and provides support
• After the software deployment is complete, change management doesn’t stop there. There are more ways that it continues to improve technology adoption post-launch. For instance, routine progress monitoring and post-go-live and at-the-elbow support help keep employees on track, cheering them on and alleviating their fears of stumbling.
• It puts people, not technology, at the center

There’s a trend in these points on how change management improves technology adoption: they all have to do with the people side of change. User adoption isn’t likely to catch on just because the technology side of your software deployment is finished. A change management strategy will ensure the employees’ needs are incorporated into the launch – the critical component for digital transformation success.

Change Management Consulting With Intellezy

If your company is planning a digital transformation, reach out to our team to learn more about how change management improves technology adoption. As Prosci® certified change consultants with vast learning and development experience, we are uniquely qualified to blend into your organization’s culture to cultivate success. Contact us today for adoption and change management consultation help!