The CIO challenge: making software investments count

CIOs and IT leaders are under immense pressure. They are expected to deliver high-impact, cost-effective digital transformation in the face of challenging conditions. A survey conducted by Userlane in partnership with 普华永道 among 250 CIOs in the UK confirmed this development.?

CIOs state that their current primary responsibility is driving digital transformation in their organizations (43%), followed by the topic of digital adoption (37%).

Leaders also report difficulty adopting digital solutions in their workplace. Problems encountered range from spending too much time and money on software training to introducing hybrid ways of working that have accelerated software requirements.

Indeed, employees often find it challenging to navigate complex software, which can lead to decreased productivity, resistance to digital transformation initiatives, and a less-than-optimal return on investment (ROI) on software expenditures.?

How do you reduce software waste and improve software adoption?

Bringing Shadow IT into the light

It is a well-known issue – employees and business units often bypass IT, using unauthorized applications to achieve a desired outcome. This practice can expose a company to serious risks, including compliance violations and data breaches, potentially disrupting business operations.

Everest Group estimates that shadow IT accounts for up to 50% of IT spending in large enterprises.

How to fix that? Initially, identify the SaaS applications being used across the organization to gain visibility into your technology landscape so that none slip through the net. Bringing Shadow IT into the light is the first step towards making data-driven decisions. This visibility will allow your IT team to assess risks, enforce compliance, and strategically manage software usage.?

Embracing digital adoption

A well-governed and strategic digital adoption initiative can help you understand where your employees struggle and make your software investment count.?

To drive meaningful change, monitor applications to identify digital friction and low adoption. Select these applications strategically based on your organization's digital transformation goals, user requirements, and potential for improving software usage.

Leverage Userlane's HEART framework to monitor metrics, such as user satisfaction, engagement, adoption rates, retention, and task completion. This data-driven approach empowers you to make informed decisions by providing a clear roadmap to improve software value.

Getting the return on your software investment

In the digital transformation era, enterprises increasingly rely on various digital tools to support their operations, from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and beyond.?

It is no surprise that organizations spend a substantial share of their budgets on SaaS, with roughly $1 in every $8 going to these tools, according to a report by Vertice . Quantifying the value they bring has never been more critical.

This is where a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) becomes an indispensable tool. DAP identifies and eliminates adoption barriers across software applications. Here are some ways a digital adoption platform can deliver direct financial benefits:

Faster software adoption translates to increased productivity as employees become proficient sooner, while ongoing support features in a DAP reduce training costs and the frequency of support tickets. This means organizations can achieve a higher ROI on software investments by cutting down on both the time and resources required for training and support, turning the software into a more valuable, actively utilized asset.

As an IT leader, it is critical to understand software usage and adoption and obtain actionable insights to identify unauthorized, redundant, and underutilized software and cut unnecessary costs.

If you want to uncover shadow IT, increase software utilization, and realize in-year cost savings, click here to learn more about Userlane's Shadow IT Assessment.?