by Diane Lauer – Senior Consultant, Lead Instructional Designer and Organizational Development Specialist
Large amounts of data and information, complex technical processes, multiple audience types, changes to existing systems, and changes in compliance requirements – these are just some examples of what we would classify as ‘complex’ initiatives often taking place in today’s active and ever-changing business environments. These types of changes require a structured and disciplined adoption process – a PROACTIVE process which creates a solution that successfully communicates, educates, changes behavior, and promotes application and practice for those involved. The lack of a structured adoption plan can often lead to a slow, negative, and frequently tedious approach to what should be a positive, successful, and continuous application of any given project.
Communicating to and educating employees on technical and complex subject matter is always a challenge and can be difficult to do even face-to-face or via a training course.
Application events and the factors that influence the application of a complex technical project play a large part in constructing a variation of the traditional adoption model. This is why we at Bardess have created a systematic PROACTIVE adoption practice where we drive and manage the complex changes often taking place within our client organizations. This systematic practice encourages adoption, increases acceptance, and increases the rate of accurate and rapid application for complex projects. Our adoption practice does the following:
- Allows for leadership/management sponsorship
- Align leadership / upper management with the changes taking place
- Gain approval and support
- Create reinforcement / feedback mechanisms within the leadership team
- Identify from and to whom the change is being directed
- Assesses the users
- Identify current skill and knowledge sets
- Identify how users form perceptions
- Create mechanisms which identify whether individuals will accept and voluntarily use what is being offered (identify how users form perceptions and interpret current perceptions)
- Defuse negative reactions and concerns
- Creates awareness
- Inform all impacted – what is new, what is changing, and why
- Promote and advertise
- Create awareness / communication mechanisms
- Fosters understanding
- Refine the message (communications and training) for each audience type
- Create and utilize on-going communication and education tactics / strategies
- Increases the value BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER launch
- Align behavioral change and actions with value propositions
- Encourage ‘viral’ marketing
- Create evangelists
- Provide support materials
- Encourage and remind those involved to make the changes and behaviors actionable and habitual
- Encourage feedback and input
- Create incentive programs
- Encourage accountability and responsibility
- Measures impact
- Build systems that help measure the impact of what the adoption and change brings
- Measure ‘real world’ changes taking place
- Provide mechanisms that calculate the value and impact of the change
- Create feedback loops
Regardless of your specific adoption needs, engage a Bardess consultant to assist you in ensuring successful adoption of your next project.
Visit our website to learn more about our Adoption processes or contact us to speak to a Bardess consultant.
About the Author
Diane Lauer is a Senior Consultant at Bardess Group Ltd. She began her professional career in Organizational Development, Corporate Training and Documentation in 1980 and is well versed in the customization of Instructional Design, and in the presentation and design of a broad range of business programs addressing leadership, executive, managerial, sales, technical, and administrative issues and concerns. In addition Ms. Lauer has worked closely with a number of specialized groups to assess and satisfy both organizational and individual needs. She has conducted extensive research in the fields of Adult Learning Principles, Behavior Modification, Accelerated Learning, Communication Styles, Neurolinguistics, Change Management, Employee Skills and Knowledge Adoption, Quality Improvement, and Needs/Task and Performance Analysis. Ms. Lauer’s industry exposure includes Telecommunications, Technology, Financial Services, Insurance, Pharmaceuticals, Utilities, E-commerce, Internet Advertising, American Cancer Society. Ms. Lauer has a B.A. in Communications and Psychology.
