This makes digital transformation initiatives a priority for companies and of strategic importance. But reality sometimes shows another side, as these processes do not always reach the desired outcome.
The landscape of digital transformation is filled with projects that fail. For example, according to a Boston Consulting Group study, 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail to achieve their intended goals.
Denying this reality would be unwise. Therefore, one must ask: why do so many technology implementation projects fail? Often, the key factor is the lack of a plan to promote the adoption of new tools or technologies by users. This point is so important that it warrants the development of a specific strategy.
In the IT environment, this process is referred to as “digital change adoption.” It involves managing and driving change so that all involved parties adopt new tools, platforms, technological environments, migrations, and updates.
Focus on people
Focusing on People A Deloitte survey found that the lack of change management skills (37%) is one of the top three challenges organizations face during digital transformation.
Technology can provide highly transformative solutions for companies. However, it never solves everything on its own. In any case, changes always start with people, who must adopt the tools to enhance processes and optimize efficiency and productivity.
Technological change may be well thought out and designed. But if it is not adopted, it will not deliver what it has to offer: making companies and their businesses go further. And this is a problem that must be addressed, as behind every digital project there is a strategic purpose that requires a significant investment, not only economically but also in resources.
Resistance to change
When a project of technological update, evolution, or innovation does not have a change plan, when communication is ineffective, and people are not involved at the right time, the following may occur:
Users may not see the value of the new solution. They may prefer to remain in their comfort zone. They may distrust the reasons that led to the implementation and express strong resistance to change. All of the above can lead to the technological implementation ultimately failing.
That’s why in projects, it is so important for IT and business areas that are undergoing or initiating digital projects to ensure the adoption of change in the affected people and avoid the frictions that naturally occur in these transitions.
Facilitating tools
To drive digital transformation effectively requires the most sophisticated, advanced, and challenging power that exists: people. In this sense, transformation cannot be just digital; it must be digitally human. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a digital change adoption strategy.
This strategy must be designed so that all team members feel involved and become change multipliers.
In practice, to promote the adoption of new technologies, a series of facilitating tools or elements (digital change makers) are needed to accompany the discovery and implementation of technological solutions. Therefore, a digital change adoption strategy must be based on the following pillars:
- Diagnosis of the current situation.
- Coaching and mentoring for sponsors.
- Early involvement of all project participants.
- Transparent and effective communication through milestones.
These digital change makers must closely accompany all teams that are undergoing or initiating digital projects. In these processes, it is also important to implement different approaches to ensure change adoption in the involved people.
Four-stage strategy
At Baufest, we understand that the work process to promote digital change adoption must include four tracks. These stages must be approached comprehensively, adapting them to the needs of each organization:
- Advising: understanding the current situation and the necessary change.
- Evaluation of the gathered information and reflection for planning, defining quick wins and a roadmap for change.
- Transformation: team building, training, coaching, and mentoring to carry out different initiatives.
- Feedback on results and visions, with progress monitoring, review, and adjustments.
Experience in the development and implementation of digital products is key in these processes, as it allows understanding where the focus of resistance lies and how to reach teams at the right time.
Key advantages
A good digital change adoption strategy provides a set of advantages that are key in digital transformation processes:
- It promotes the fulfillment of the purpose for which a technological project is decided.
- It achieves an agile, lasting, and effective change that replaces old habits.
- It optimizes communication and training.
- It unifies processes and provides clarity on tasks, avoiding rework.
Organizations with an excellent change management strategy are much more likely to meet or exceed their objectives. Moreover, studies show that the vast majority of companies with excellent change management strategies met or exceeded their objectives
In particular, a successful digital change adoption strategy has the power to transform mental barriers into bridges of action. It turns resistance to change into changes that endure over time.
Necessary motivation
Taking into account the people who make up the organization when implementing digital changes is fundamental. That’s why it’s so vital to work on aspects such as resistance to change and team motivation.
A company that does not give the necessary importance to these factors will have many more problems ensuring that its digital transformation is successful. Conversely, with a proper change adoption strategy, it is possible to:
- Get employees out of their comfort zones, turning resistance to change into an engine of innovation.
- Motivate teams.
- Unlock the digital potential of the company.
In this context, it is also important to create a culture of digital innovation that encourages employees to try new things and experiment with new technologies. To achieve this, it is necessary to ensure that staff feel comfortable trying out new tools and solutions.
At Baufest, we believe that to promote change adoption, it is imperative to work with a focus on training teams, which allows accelerating the adoption of new technologies and improving efficiency. By training employees and motivating them to be interested in learning and specializing in technological management, they will be more satisfied and have better expectations about their future job.
Baufest supports organizations with a specific practice of digital change adoption based on our significant experience in digital transformation processes in organizations. With this support, companies achieve the qualitative leap they need both in terms of efficiency and business innovation, consciously involving their main asset, which is their own people.