Tag: chatter

Approaches aren’t mutually exclusive

Over the last few days I’ve looked at various approaches you can take to creating adoption of collaboration tools.

It’s important to remember that none are mutually exclusive.

Adoption by chance

  • You can run a standard approach believing you may be the exception.
  • Once you fail to gain adoption you can switch

Adoption by hierarchy

  • You can structure a formal approach but if roadblocks and delays are occurring (scheduling workshops, factfinding etc) then begin with a social approach for early quick wins

Adoption by ‘social’ (tribes and communities)

  • If your social approach spreads success quickly you may wish to consider how to align the organisation with a ‘mini formal approach’ to deal with leadership requests

And you can also try a concurrent approach

To maximise the chances of success you could run both a formal and social approach (bottom up and top down), ensuring awareness, sustainability and rapid quick wins

Adoption by hierarchy

Following on from the ‘Adoption by Chance’ approach an alternative if the ‘Formal Approach’ or adoption through hierarchy (and highly recommended if you were even thinking of taking the ‘Adoption by Chance’ approach).

The formal approach is based on:

  • Engagement through leadership / key stakeholders
  • Implement a formal approach (defining and delivering) to educate on the collaboration technologies.
  • Refine approach and collateral as the programme develops

Adoption through hierarchy

MERITS

  • Understanding of the ‘What, Why, How’ of the technology from a leadership perspective and ensuring they are fully aligned
  • Colleagues ‘on the same page’ and at the same stage of the journey
  • Knowledge of all available materials
  • Formal support process
  • Increased ability to maximize the applications available – larger number of use cases surfaced
  • Ability to get access and collaborate across all areas of the business
  • Comprehensive approach

DRAWBACKS

  • Slow and time consuming – early motivators may lose interest
  • Pace set by leadership or project team – not the users
  • Too much detail – information presented won’t necessarily be applicable to all
  • Too rigid
  • Loss of interest increases and users drop interest of the ‘journey’
  • Rational approach but doesn’t appeal to emotional interest
  • Potential to be exclusive and siloed

Adoption by chance

Having looked at 3 very different approaches to adoption of collaborative technologies here is my take on the drawbacks and merits of each.

Today we start with the ‘throw it over the fence’ approach. I would suggest this is generally favoured by IT folk who need to ‘get it out there’ and their focus is not on sustained usage or business value.

Success is generally low and adoption is by chance

MERITS
• Self-contained, no need to engage with other areas of the business prior to deployment
• Low cost – little resource required
• Enables rapid deployment
• Creates an enterprise-wide awareness (if communication channels are effective)
• Enables a swift campaign to be executed
• Meets immediate technology enablement requirements

DRAWBACKS
• Awareness does not guarantee engagement with tools
• Little understanding of how they can be utilised
• Little control over how the business will use it
• Little adoption once early motivated adopters have been engaged
• Little adoption or engagement once campaign has finished
• Little sustaining or legacy behaviours in place
• All behavioural change is by chance or self-understanding