Carry Everyone Along.

There comes a time when everyone needs to be carried along. Before then, it may be counterproductive to do so.

The Executive Management usually has great ideas that should work and provides all required to get it to work. However, these efforts are most often channeled primarily towards a successful project implementation. The benefits and values that were the driving factor for embarking on the project is largely subconsciously perceived as a ‘natural’ by-product of the project.

As with everything, there is a time for everything.?

Once Information Technology (IT) Projects are concluded, everyone required to adopt the solution(s) has to come onboard. This is a critical part of successfully delivering an IT project. What would be the point of manufacturing tens of thousands of cars and only a few hundred would ever drive them. There’s got to be intentional plans to get the cars to the market and have people buy and actually use the cars.

IT projects should be treated in a similar way. Marketing the project as it were, should be the next step to creating adoption. The solution needs to be used to harness its values and bring in the ROI expected from it.

Many IT solutions fail not because it was not implemented successfully, but because it was never adopted by the users it was intended for. This part of the project, though post-project, is usually neglected, not planned for and is typically never included in the Project plans. Rarely is it discussed in meetings whether pre-project, during the project or post-project.

If only a few people know about the benefits of the project, there is little chance for successful adoption. As much as the project plans, processes and systems are critical elements of the project, even more thought and action should be taken to ensure a successful adoption of the solution.

Awareness programmes, Trainings, Round table discussions and related actions should be given deliberate thought resulting in clearly defined set of actions directly mapped to key outcomes showing successful adoption.

Adoption by staff should be tracked and rewarded where required. If additional systems or solutions are required to ensure this, it should be factored in before the project commences. It is critical that post project activities be clearly defined and outlined. It has to be a conscious effort and as a business leader or decision maker, you need to?require?this of all IT projects before signing off.

Sometimes, the follow-up actions for adoption may be wholly internal and not related to the solution provider. None-the less, it should be identified and mapped out while engagements are on-going with the provider.

In the end, you require value for every amount spent. This value should not only be printed on sign-off documents, but it should also be imprinted throughout the culture of the organization. It should be seen as aiding their work, increasing productivity and giving them more time to do more securely: a perceived value useful for their day-to-day operations.?

Research indicates that employees have three prime needs: interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.??Zig Ziglar

There is a broad range of IT solutions, some may be implemented without the need for general adoption, others require general adoption to be truly marked as valuable, for these it is important to carry all involved along post project then keep them happy.

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