More than half of all IT project implementations fail to get adopted in organizations worldwide. These failures are seldom because of the technology used or the product implemented. Frequently, it is a problem with an insufficient understanding of the business’ goal and users’ needs. A successful system that is not adopted is as good as a failed system.
At Ilantus, user adoption is a vital discussion point from the phase of requirement gathering. With over 18 years of experience in IAM solution implementations, Ilantus has assisted multiple businesses in putting together a comprehensive adoption plan and there by has helped steer them towards a successful implementation with contended users. Various aspects impact user adoption and these should be carefully managed.
Know the User and the Need
Understanding the end user landscape and fulfilling their needs are key aspects to the success of any solution implementation. The reason why an organization is looking for a single sign on or password management solution must be clearly understood. The solution being implemented should constitute all use cases that the end users are looking forward to. Adoption starts when the user has a convincing reason to interact with the system.
Anticipate Resistance
Human beings are naturally averse to change, and a technology implementation is no different. This is the reason why end user training is of paramount importance. The user should be educated about the new solution and how he will benefit by it. The training sessions should help build affinity and awareness of the new system and in return a desire to use it. These training sessions should be relevant and tailored to the specific audience. Ilantus products have many niche features that help users get accustomed to the system faster without hassle.
Market to the End User
Most organizations need assistance and advice while getting started on the new system. Social mediums and venues like lunch rooms, clubs, intranet sites and enterprise social solutions are all powerful tools to reach the user. Developing a marketing plan and a promotional strategy have always yielded good results. Utilizing a combination of mediums triggers user eagerness and demonstrate the importance of the initiative.
Identify Ambassadors and Reward Users
Each team or unit that gets introduced in the system should have an ambassador. The ambassadors should have enough knowledge on the system and should be able to guide their colleagues. Rewarding a user who starts using the system actively will encourage every other user in the team. Implementing an effective adoption program is not easy and needs lot of time and effort. With the poor success rates seen worldwide, it is obvious that organizations need to invest wisely in adoption programs. Adoption activities should start from inception, continue through the implementation phase, and follow the user always.
By Karamchand Ramachandran
Technical Manager
Ilantus Technologies