As we plan our enterprise IT programs, Linda added, “I think what we’re going through today really draws to our attention, the need for business continuity.”

Globally speaking, the most recent coronavirus outbreak has had a great impact.

Businesses must make plans for company continuity during these disruptive periods while also ensuring the security of their staff. Many businesses are having difficulty delivering the classroom training sessions that were intended to be part of their new system training programs. Since no one can congregate in one place during these disruptive times, these sessions are no longer feasible. The delivery of training is therefore undoubtedly a major problem, but it is not the only stage of your project lifecycle that requires attention. It’s crucial to consider any potential effects in later stages, such as development and post-go-live support, and plan on handling disruption at all phases.

Here are the four continuity keys that will be essential for your new system adoption initiatives as businesses fight to maintain their processes in these uncertain times.

Learning strategy 

What do we mean by learning strategy?

• Created based on your organization’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives.
• Defines the strategic intent of your learning solution.
• Outlines the elements of your solution (the toolkit).
• Describe which audiences will use which elements.

What happens if a disruption occurs after you have put your learning approach in place?

“You should concentrate on the key components, is my advice. As a result, I revisit the adult learning model that we have been using for many years and consider what are the most important elements that must be in place to promote the adoption of new technology, continued Linda.

1. Prepare Me: 

• Ensure crystal-clear communications through dependable networks.
• Include roles, responsibilities, and a convincing justification for the necessity to embrace the new technology.
• Give consumers a simple way to provide feedback, and respond to their inquiries.

2. Tell Me:

• Concentrating on the knowledge that your students need to achieve their work objectives.
• The main factors influencing adoption are processes and other conceptual types of knowledge that are not included in detailed instructions.
• Create formats that can be used for online courses or virtual meetings.

3. Show Me:

• Leverage technology to model task performance.

• Utilize technology to simulate how a task will function.
• Investigate the use of simulations, videos, and expert user demonstrations.

4. Let Me:

• Make a secure area where people can practice.
• Examine available technologies (simulations, embedded help in a sandbox).
• Over-the-shoulder coaching in person or remotely are examples of non-tech solutions.

5. Help Me:

• Offer assistance that goes well beyond telling me which key to push.
• Superusers have a significant impact on processes and other issues.

Effective Operating Processes

Project management 

Make sure your development and delivery efforts are supported by solid project management practices. We occasionally undervalue how important having effective project management is. However, having great project management is crucial when you’re trying to generate numerous things at once, especially if you run the risk of losing access to your coworkers unexpectedly, a server going down, etc.

Clear roles and responsibilities

Ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities, as well as how, when, and how they should go about fulfilling them. When your teams are dispersed or working remotely, this is helpful.

Structured Communication 

For your worldwide workforce to communicate successfully and work as a team, you must have a communication plan.

Meeting management

Having a timeline that works for each member is crucial when working with persons from different time zones. Setting a golden hour when team members are accessible from all over the world can be quite beneficial during times of disruption.

Leveraging Tool Capabilities

The capacity of a technology to automatically support workflow for reviews and development can be useful during disruptive moments in development.

Tools can support a learning journey throughout delivery to ensure that people receive the appropriate information in the proper sequence. Supporting super user delivery is another task for which technologies can be used. So these teaching chances can go to super users if the original plan called for individuals to travel in and out to give classroom sessions. Additionally, the tool has content that they can use in a classroom.

Tools can be used to ensure that content is accessible for performance support. Organizations frequently invest a lot of money creating excellent performance support content, but it ends up inaccessible to users because it is hidden in a SharePoint or Microsoft Teams server. Therefore, it is unlikely that they will actually use the content. Therefore, having tools that integrate assistance into the production system or make it accessible in a context-sensitive way is quite essential.

Tools can be used to make learning content for infrequently performed jobs instantly available for learning while working.

Empowered Super Users

Super users play a crucial role in turbulent times. They can be your ears and eyes on the ground as well as coaches for the users. Superusers can therefore tell you if something isn’t going properly or if people are having problems.

Making ensuring that your superusers understand their jobs, the tools they should utilize, and other important aspects of this is crucial. It’s not simply a matter of ratcheting them up; you also need to pay attention to what they say and make sure you can see and hear what they can. Your continuity plan must include developing a solid super user strategy.

Looking at a few key points you should be taking care of in these disruptive times.

So these were some takeaways from our session with Linda Lamppert on “Technology Adoption in Disruptive Times” to give you a direction for handling your adoption challenges in these uncertain times.