Innovation | Voices technology footprint, clean up master data, security and compliance, userfriendly interfaces and the list goes on. The one thing that could negate the entire story of a successful digital transformation – and is not often enough addressed by leadership early on – is end users’ engagement and acceptance, which all rolls up to change management. There are three key components to getting this part right: communication, involvement and advocacy. Who knows more about the day-to-day business processes than the users? Keeping that in mind, it is essential that we don’t lose sight of the fact that introducing new technologies means that we are changing the way they work. From an IT perspective, involving them in the initial planning phase may be viewed as premature or even an inconvenience to them. But in the long run, they’ll be glad they were included: No one wants to be the last to know, or to feel like a huge change was dumped on them without any say in the matter. The goal should be that users are not only informed, but also vested in the system and the outcome. This evolution happens organically when the user feels that their voice is being heard and their input is considered as decisions are being made. Often, the things that are most important to our users and what they really want are very different than what IT perceives. Now that you have drawn in the users through meaningful communication and involvement, it’s time for them to be ambassadors and champions who spread the good word of the initiative. They will play a key role in user acceptance across the organization. This cannot be accomplished by the IT team controlling the narrative with formulated messaging. Instead, consider that the way users work truly could be changing drastically with the implementation of a new system. They may even feel that their engagement in the project is only helping themselves out of a job, as they recognize that their timeconsuming usual tasks are being automated or streamlined, and that new skillsets may be required in their positions. This is why upscaling the skills of the workforce should be baked into the early planning phase. Identify what new skillsets are needed and formulate a plan to invest in the training. It is important to communicate this plan with the ambassadors and champions to set clear expectations that they are not only essential to the success of the project, but also the success of the ongoing business. In the end, any digital transformation project of magnitude is going to face some resistance. That’s why it’s important to cultivate a partnership with the end users and business areas they represent. This will enable a smoother path to acceptance and buy-in. Dunbarger is a business systems analyst at PPAI. Who knows more about the dayto-day business processes than the users? Keeping that in mind, it is essential that we don’t lose sight of the fact that introducing new technologies means that we are changing the way they work. Want all of our best digital transformation articles delivered straight to your inbox? Visit media.ppai. org/subscribe to sign up for PPAI Newslink, and you’ll also receive Innovation Monthly emails. PPAI • APRIL 2023 • 29 anttoniart Foxys Graphic / Shutterstock.com
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