Digital transformation significantly accelerated in 2020 as businesses adapted to meet customer needs after the outbreak of Covid19. Companies needed new software to streamline online business processes and functions once done in a face-to-face manner. The rate of software adoption has not slowed down this year and will continue in the future.
Unfortunately, simply implementing new software is not enough to drive change. Transitions are sometimes met with resistance and confusion. However, a high-quality software adoption program can significantly reduce resistance and increase adoption rates.
To help organizations better navigate through change, we have shared a list of five different ways you can leverage software adoption training for successful digital transformation.
Five Tips For Successful Software Adoption
1. Announce the Change and Available Resources
One of the most common reasons employees resists change is because they do not truly understand the benefits. Prepare your employees by announcing the changes to come. Awareness campaigns are designed to build excitement around the new software.
Provide infographics, videos, or emails that highlight program features and benefits. It is also important to share what resources will be available to help employees make the transition.
2. Provide a Blend of Learning Experiences
A one-size-fits-all approach to training is rarely effective for engaging modern learners. Today’s workforce is diverse. Employees may have different levels of experience, roles, and learning preferences.
Utilizing a blended approach and providing a wide range of different cutting-edge learning modalities will help you engage all learners in a way that best suits them. Integrating interactive training formats allows for social interactions and enables learners to practice new skills to improve engagement.
3. Consider Role-Based Learning Journeys for Enterprise Software Adoption
Enterprise organizations have the additional challenge of driving adoption across multiple departments and regions. In these cases, there are often several different user types. Employees in other roles or locations may use enterprise applications in different ways. They may also use entirely different system functions and features.
It can be challenging to create relevant training that covers all subjects without losing the engagement of others. This also slows the speed of time-to-competency. Developing a series of role-based learning journeys can significantly boost the positive impact and relevance of training sessions.
Role-based journeys shorten the length of the content that is needed. They also increase relevancy by targeting a single segment of your audience.
4. Track and Measure Learner Progress
Plan to regularly evaluate the progress of your learners and the effectiveness of the course. This can be done using the tracking and reporting features on your learning management system. Tracking these metrics will help you quickly identify any issues you may encounter. This process will also help you determine when course materials need to be updated or optimized, maximizing effectiveness.
5. Provide Just-in-time Support Materials
One of the effective ways to drive long-term software user adoption rates upward is by providing support materials learners can reference after completing the course. Successful enterprise software adoption is a continual process. User adoption strategies that aim to train learners through a single course or event often fail to deliver desired results.
Learning takes place over time, and software adoption is a process. Learners often forget pieces of what they have learned from even the best learning experiences. This is why it is critical to reinforce learning with support materials such as posters, printable PDFs, infographics, or short refresher videos. These materials help them remember the most important details when they need them the most.
Final Note
In today’s disruptive environment, organizations are constantly adopting new technologies to streamline and improve business processes. However, many enterprise organizations are met with a wide range of challenges when they undergo these changes. An effective software adoption training program can help prevent these challenges and increase software adoption rates.
Learn more about how Infopro Learning helped life sciences leaders successfully navigate a digital transformation. Read the case study How Training Increases the User Adoption of a New Software.
