Ensuring Adoption: A Tool Works Only If People Use It

Here we are – you have built your new application and it’s perfect. It does exactly what you need it to do. Now you’re done, right? Sadly, one of the most difficult challenges still awaits you: human nature.

Let’s face it, a lot of people don’t like change. And when it comes to low-code software, change is baked into the product. Here are a few of our best strategies to help you encourage your colleagues to get on board with your new TrackVia application.

Start with Why

Simon Sinek’s ultra-popular TED Talk makes a much larger point about this idea, but if you don’t have 18 minutes to spare, here’s my synopsis. If there is not a clear reason that you or your organization are doing something, there is little chance that others will join you. It is essential for you and your team to have a good reason to change your practices.

There can be any number of causes behind the build of your new application: increased efficiency, updated processes, scalability concerns, and more. If you can’t think of any reason to implement low-code software, Forbes highlights a good handful more of them in their article It’s High Time for Low Code. In addition to the organizational drivers, be sure to emphasize those pain points that individual teams or team members had previously that are now solved with your application. Even providing a short demonstration of their new workflow(s) and highlighting the personally relevant benefits of your application will help to incite change and hopefully even win over a few supporters.

Recruit a Hype Team

Once you have a few people that understand the value in adopting your new application, you’re in! These folks can champion the transition and encourage their peers to join them. Asking these people to share testimonials, lead training sessions, and generally increase the excitement surrounding your application can reap huge rewards. The recommendations of our trusted peers often go much further in spurring action than a new organizational policy.

Make it a Game

Gamification isn’t a new concept. The idea is to create aspects of your workflows that feel like a game – where employees can win against peers or the system, achieve special milestones, or earn bonuses and rewards.

A particular company created “missions” for their teams to accomplish and then hosted a competition between departments to see which team could accomplish the most missions or complete a mission in the least amount of time. Users could track each other’s individual and department progress on a leaderboard and ask for help from more accomplished players.

Friendly competition can bring some lightheartedness and excitement to otherwise mundane tasks. Furthermore, publicly calling out winners (as well as those who have shown great improvement) creates a culture of positivity surrounding change and will hopefully make it even easier to iterate in the future.

Provide Clear Support

It is scary to try something new, especially if you feel alone. To ensure that employees can confidently begin using your new application, they must feel supported. Providing adequate resources to facilitate these changes is essential to successful adoption.

Here are three ways you can ensure your team has the support they need:

1. Start with pre-rollout training sessions to get users familiar with the application they are about to begin using.
2. Create accessible documentation for people to refer to on their own if they get stuck or need a refresher.
3. Set up a clear pathway for escalation so that your team knows who they can turn to when they need extra help.