Digital anchoring
It is scary how many IT and digitalisation projects fail.
Through surveys we actually know why. The reason is not that the system itself fails (they actually work), the reason is that the users do not embrace the system or new processes.
They do not like or understand why they need the new system or how it will improve their way of working. The simple question “what’s in it for me?” has been ignored. Yet this is one of the most relevant elements to uncover for the impacted users.
As part of installing new technical solutions, the organisation must plan, prepare, develop, communicate and engage, install, test (and test again), evaluate, train users, support users, adjust etc. These are all critical steps that must be carried out, but not the only steps.
In the eyes of many IT experts as well executive leaders the project is completed when the technical part is checked off and the program is installed, little realising that a system that is not used as intended does not deliver the value that was hoped for. Companies are typically great at handling the Technical part but suffer wildly on the Behavioural part.
The solution to a successful implementation – digital anchoring – is true involvement and respect of users. Keep them involved and heard long after the changes have been made and rolled out. If not, the company will fail to succeed with the project.
And by the way, ensuring that such changes actually deliver the anticipated return on investment is not the responsibility of the IT department of the Project Team. It is a leadership responsibility!
In Real Impact we know about digitalisation, we know about organisations and we know about people. And people are users. In order to anchor digitalisation in the company we measure acceptance and behaviour of the users through our proven methods. We assist the management and the organisation with hands-on ways of making the change stick.