09 Jun 3 Ways to Drive Acceptance and Get More Value from Content Management Technology
I love vacuuming! More specifically, vacuuming with my crevice tool attachment. It’s so satisfying to see how it magically sucks up dust bunnies and pet hair in a snap and gets into those nooks and crannies. Sometimes, I have vacuumed my whole house with it. Weird, I know. But true. No robots or high-price models for me. I am all about the attachments that can get into tight spaces (how many cat toys have I successfully snagged from underneath my stove!). My requirements may not be average, but they are mine. They fit the way I work. They are what I need to make me happy and productive. Value is created in my home because it is clean (and my cats are happy, too). This is what I want to talk to you about… Think about the people in the process, understand what is important to them and the way they work, so that you choose the right tools and get what you need.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on future-focused technology:
“Sylvie Veilleux, chief information officer at Dropbox, is responsible for managing nearly 1,000 software tools and applications used by the San Francisco-based cloud-software company. Understanding how employees are using those tools is critical for optimizing the experience of working at home, she said. The goal is to prevent workers from needing to toggle between dozens of applications that are difficult to use.”
3 WAYS TO DRIVE ACCEPTANCE AND VALUE FROM CONTENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
1. Put the Focus on People and How They Work
Start with stakeholder engagement and talk about what is in it for them. Convey the business value, rather than software features or capabilities. Craft the vision for the future state in a way that demonstrates value to everyone’s daily job, according to the way they work. People respond to authenticity. Take the time to do this because it will be remembered. You start to cultivate project champions, and you need them.
2. Select a System with Your Users – Not for Them
Adopt a consultative mindset and encourage active participation. Ask what people need to make their daily lives better, and do not decide for them. Extend an invitation to play an active role in the selection of the system. People like to be asked, to be valued for their input. Goodwill and buy-in are priceless. You start to cultivate a feeling of ownership, of people caring about the outcome.
3 WAYS TO DRIVE ACCEPTANCE AND VALUE FROM CONTENT MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY
1. Put the Focus on People and How They Work
Start with stakeholder engagement and talk about what is in it for them. Convey the business value, rather than software features or capabilities. Craft the vision for the future state in a way that demonstrates value to everyone’s daily job, according to the way they work. People respond to authenticity. Take the time to do this because it will be remembered. You start to cultivate project champions, and you need them.
2. Select a System with Your Users – Not for Them
Adopt a consultative mindset and encourage active participation. Ask what people need to make their daily lives better, and do not decide for them. Extend an invitation to play an active role in the selection of the system. People like to be asked, to be valued for their input. Goodwill and buy-in are priceless. You start to cultivate a feeling of ownership, of people caring about the outcome.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on future-focused technology:
“Sylvie Veilleux, chief information officer at Dropbox, is responsible for managing nearly 1,000 software tools and applications used by the San Francisco-based cloud-software company. Understanding how employees are using those tools is critical for optimizing the experience of working at home, she said. The goal is to prevent workers from needing to toggle between dozens of applications that are difficult to use.”
3. Ask Users What They Do Instead of Asking for Requirements
Engage people from across the organization. It is not about presenting a list of software requirements and asking for ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ responses. Understand user needs first and then define requirements to satisfy them. You are the one with the technology subject matter expertise. Establish trust. Develop a high-level picture of the business processes of the organization and how they connect. Talk to people about what they do, how they do it, and with whom they collaborate. Glean requirements from what they say, from how they do their job, from both bright spots and pain points. You are building the bridge that connects people to the technology. By the end of this, you understand what users need, and exactly how the technology can help them, and that is the point.
3. Ask Users What They Do Instead of Asking for Requirements
Engage people from across the organization. It is not about presenting a list of software requirements and asking for ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ responses. Understand user needs first and then define requirements to satisfy them. You are the one with the technology subject matter expertise. Establish trust. Develop a high-level picture of the business processes of the organization and how they connect. Talk to people about what they do, how they do it, and with whom they collaborate. Glean requirements from what they say, from how they do their job, from both bright spots and pain points. You are building the bridge that connects people to the technology. By the end of this, you understand what users need, and exactly how the technology can help them, and that is the point.
WHY IT MATTERS
Making the Right Technology Investment Matters Now More Than Ever
It is a technology-driven future. CIOs and business leaders recognize the organizational importance of technology in supporting a remote workforce and business model transformation. Now, COVID-19 has organizations reassessing technology needs, as they form what they want or need to be on the other side of the pandemic. We cannot predict the future, but we can prepare for it. Deciding to invest in (or modernize) technology is an important step. Any decision like this comes with an expectation of positive returns. What is the dependency then? People actually using the tools. User adoption is critical for return on investment. In this post, I provided three ways to help your organization derive better value from its content management technology, so that you can shape the future of your next normal.
Organizations that Innovate Faster are a Step Ahead
Faced with rising costs, uncertain or weak demand, and lowered chances of profitability, companies need to think of new ways of working and innovating to create value. The journey to get there will likely depend on technology. Enter business model transformation, a pivot, a decision to meet customer needs in a different way. The time window to adapt, to do something differently before it becomes irrelevant, seems to be shrinking all the time. Agility is the golden egg these days. To get things done faster, reduce hierarchies and include people in the technology selection process. Empower them to spot opportunities for new ways of working. Adopt a customer-centric approach. Acceptance depends on satisfying needs that help people get their work done in ways that are more effective and valuable to the organization.
Forbes on Agility and Value Creation:
“…you can accept that you as a leader do not have perfect foresight…that the future is vague and unpredictable, and that the greatest value you can add is…to unleash the potential inside tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of associates at your company. You can figure out how to help them enjoy their work, do their work more effectively, and come home feeling fulfilled through working in ways that make human beings happiest and most productive.”
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on technology function future:
“The pandemic has accelerated the timeline for technology adoption and business digitization, presenting technology leaders with an unprecedented opportunity to help shape the future of the business.”
“The research shows that chief executives and tech leaders agree on the strategic value of technology…CEOs say technology is very or somewhat important” in achieving strategic goals.
WHERE TO START
Start by asking yourself, “How do you think you’re doing,” then I invite you to watch our webinar to get started. It will cover:
-
- Gathering true organizational requirements
- Creating a level playing field for vendor and product demonstrations
- Evaluating vendors with metrics, not emotions
WHERE TO START
Start by asking yourself, “How do you think you’re doing,” then I invite you to watch our webinar to get started. It will cover:
-
- Gathering true organizational requirements
- Creating a level playing field for vendor and product demonstrations
- Evaluating vendors with metrics, not emotions
McKinsey on the Post-Pandemic Organization:
“The organization of the future is taking shape in the moves that companies are making now.”
“All over the world, companies are being challenged by the COVID-19 crisis to find new ways to serve their customers and communities.”
“…how can leaders accelerate their companies’ journeys toward becoming not only faster but also better for customers, employees, and society at large?”
3 KEYS TO INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT VALUE
1. The Assessment is the Starting Point for your Plan
An assessment, when done right, gets at the root cause of information management problems. To enable real improvement, you have to know what to improve.
2. Strategic Transformation is a Journey that Must Have a Goal
An assessment, when done right, builds consensus for the future state and positions you to have a plan that is endorsed by senior leadership and realistic for your organization.
3. Strategic Transformation Requires a Holistic View of How People Work
An assessment, when done right, incorporates users in the process instead of mandating solutions. Employees feel like they are being heard, and feel safe in contributing their creative ideas or solutions.
Where to start?
Start by asking yourself, “How do you think you’re doing,” then I invite you to watch our webinar to get started. It will cover:
-
- The value of assessing where you are today and understanding where you want to be
- How to define a path toward effective and sustainable information lifecycle management
- The importance of a collaborative approach and executive sponsorship
“The CEO cannot simply sanction a digital transformation; he or she must communicate a vision of what needs to be achieved, and why, in order to demonstrate that digital is an unquestionable priority.”
“Poor communication can be the undoing of even the strongest convictions, and still lead to digital transformation failures. Firms must identify key milestones and targets for the organisation to aim for”
“It’s vital for every employee to understand why things are the way they are; why changes are happening within the business”
