Nobody really wants to read long instructions or take several days of classes to learn something new that is being pushed on them in the workplace. They may do it because they must do it for their job. Yet, that doesn’t mean that adoption of the new project management tool or process will be good, efficient, or even result in wide use and acceptance. If people don’t want to do something, they will try to find a way around it. Inefficiencies in the usage and adoption process of a new practice, tool, or methodology results in higher costs and workplace issues and conflicts. Not a good place to go.
So, when we are working to ensure the widest, easiest, and fastest way to full enterprise adoption of a new process or app we need it to be something that is easy to understand and something that will actually make their work lives and jobs easier. Hopefully, it will even save them time on processes they are currently performing.
I’m going to show you the four key things or concepts you’ll need to consider when choosing your project management software if you’re looking for quick and easy acceptance by the mass user base in your organization. Think about your own list of tips and tricks. Prepare to share your thoughts after reading.
The learning curve should be a high consideration
The easiest way to turn off the masses in the organization is to give them something that they can’t jump in and use quickly. You’ll lose half of your potential user base if you force them to turn away from their demanding work and learn something new. We like to use new things – sometimes – but we don’t like to have to take a long time to learn how to use them and we hate to read about how to use them even more.
Choose a tool with a high collaboration element
A tool that fits a big collaboration need can often be an easier tool to gain adoption throughout the organization. If it fills a need and immediate benefit is seen, then the adoption can be that much easier. The struggles begin when you try to push a tool on the masses that doesn’t seem to fit an obvious need. They ask “why?” and stick with whatever they’ve been using before. In my early days of coding, I had colleagues who never learned how to type and I watched painfully as they coded with two fingers. They were fast, but they were also 30 years older than me and they were never going to change because they didn’t see the need. You have to fit a need to gain change. A good collaboration tool can do that.
Customized reporting and one size fits all reporting
A tool that can offer very customizable reporting and allow different end-users to customize their own reporting to support their info needs will be a tool that gets some of the widest and quickest enterprise user adoption. The ability to put together a one size fits all status reporting situation for a very busy project manager that will satisfy all key stakeholders is going to be very desirable and beneficial to all the project managers running engagements in the organization.
Let’s face it. They are the first ones you need full adoption of the software from. Project managers are often using two or three or more different tools to manage and track projects. Having a do-everything software tool that offers great one size fits all reporting is going to be very beneficial and highly desirable. You provide that and you’ll have the project managers shouting praises of a new project management app from the rooftops to the masses in the organization.
Dashboards!
Going beyond one size fits all reporting – which probably benefits the tired project manager more than anyone – consider the importance of dashboards. A good dashboard can tell the health story of a project, a business unit, a division…even an entire organization. The executives love it because it can give them all the information they need or have time to see in about five minutes. If done right.
Project sponsors love it because they can feel good about their project at a glance… AND have something to give to their own C-levels to ensure that the project you are delivering and they are paying for is making progress and staying on track (hopefully). A good dashboard that includes some green – yellow – red project health status for a nice quick glance is always a good idea.
Summary/call for input
The goal with any app, program, or process is easy and wide acceptance and adoption. Everything costs money. Slow or partial adoption of anything new means you’ve wasted your time and money.
Brad Egeland
Author
