Content created by Ali Uren Founder of Kiikstart
With challenge and change being a given, most businesses are needing to ask how they are going to introduce new technology to the business?
Before you spend energy, time and finances I want to share with you the questions we ask our clients when they are in the early planning stages of introducing new technology to their business and workforce.
You’ll see from these questions it’s not just the technology itself but how it will be integrated into the day-to-day operations that determines real outcomes and impact.
INTRODUCING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO THE BUSINESS? 9 STRATEGIC QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Why are you implementing this technological change into the business – for what purpose?
This is the most fundamental question to ask before jumping on the innovation train.
- What specific outcomes and impact are you wanting and expecting to see from implementing this innovation?
Be fair and reasonable about what you are going to achieve and how it will change the actions and behaviours of your workforce.
- What are the real skill gaps, threats and risks that will be solved by implementing this innovation?
What data, research and consultation have you undertaken to get genuine insight into the current reality of the business and its workforce.
- Where are the potential skill gaps, threats and risks in the coming 12 months that can be addressed by implementing this innovation?
Do you have insight into what is happening at a local, national and international level that will impact how you engage with the technology long term.
- Who will benefit from implementing this change and in what ways? Consider the internal and external stakeholders.
How will the project plan take the workforce on the technology trip? New technology will be met with resistance if there are gaps in the end to end experience and the ongoing support and capability building is light on.
- How do you want the brand to be perceived by staff and clients after introducing the technology?
What’s the story you want to communicate to staff – how will it address skill gaps, threats and risks. Plus the natural fear and resistance.
- How do you want the workforce to think and feel about the business after introducing this technology?
Think about the emotional value proposition you will create to sit alongside the technology. This means you can visualise how you want the workforce to think, feel and act and you know exactly what has to happen to create this outcome.
- How do you want your clients and partners to think and feel about the business after introducing this technology?
What will be the clear messaging you want to take to the end user and your strategic partners about the benefits of this technology.
- How will innovation add value to the experience of staff and the end product or service that is delivered to the client?
Be evidence based as to what is going to be exponentially different about working together.
TECHNOLOGY TRUTH TALES – OUR TOP PICKS
When we look at the trends and examples from our own workplaces and industry experiences, we know the following to be true when making technological change.
- Technology and the ability to embrace it for the greater good is everything.
- Know exactly what the greater good looks like for your business, workforce and client.
- Be discerning about how you will use technology to deliver outcomes and impact that matter to your workforce and clients.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should – avoid being caught up in what everyone else is doing.
- Being able to balance efficiency through new technologies while maintaining quality, human relationships is key.
- Technology needs to be integrated into your people.
- Any change you make needs to enhance the human connection not minimize it.
- Be mindful about what you are removing from the end-to-end client or employee experience as a result of making the change. Will you really be better off?
- Focus on creating a different client experience and not evolving technology for the sake of it.
- Increase efficiency while minimizing waste.
- Focus on the longer term, bigger picture purpose of the business.
- Embrace the fact that changing how you do business on a regular and increasingly rapid pace is a necessity – not a choice.
ALLOW PEOPLE TO DELIVER GREATNESS
One of the most overlooked aspects of the entire technological change piece can be that of the workforce.
Before investing in technology be bold enough to ask questions around how the workforce will be supported to embrace the change.
Make space to think about the following areas early in the planning:
- What skill gaps, threats and risks exist within your current workforce as it relates to embracing this technology?
Think about the roadblocks that do and can exist.
- What resources and ongoing support does the business need to provide so the team is confident and has the capability to use this technology to the fullest?
This needs to consider the actions and processes prior to introducing the technology change, during and after.
- What processes will there be for review and check in with employees in the first 3 to 6 months after introducing the technology?
This is critical for celebrating progress but identifying any risks and challenges in real time.
- How will you measure the outcomes and impact on the workforce as a result of making this change?
Note it is essential that the business works alongside the team to co-design these measurements.
When introducing technological change, you need to look at the business as a whole, not in parts. This will make sure you haven’t overlooked any key areas and makes you think about it from a connected perspective.
Time to look how you will use new technology to create a different business through transformation and change and build workforce talent? Please reach out at http://kiikstart.com/contact or linkedin.com/company/17967585/admin
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