Best Practices: Get Learners and Stakeholders to Adopt New eLearning Technology

Selectingand implementing learning technology solutions can be a cumbersome and lengthyprocess. Even the best selections are a failure if end users resist the newtechnology.  

Too often I hear from L&Dprofessionals that they meticulously planned the “perfect” system to supporttheir efforts, only to find out changes within the company structure oroverlapping technologies would prove to be a distraction. Their efforts loststeam, and in some cases, failed completely.

Inthis article I identify five proven best practices to gain support from endusers and stakeholders.

Why does adoption by end-users and stakeholders matter?

Employees who quickly utilizenew technology solutions are not just happier—they are good for business! Whenimplemented thoughtfully, technology solutions will increase productivity,accountability, and efficiency.

Instrumental to your success areintentional, measured, and carefully planned approaches that identify andinvolve stakeholders, follow a project plan, celebrate success, use changemanagement techniques, and keep the user in mind from the beginning.

Involve stakeholders

Understanding and involving yourstakeholders is a must. You must plan ahead to identify who is impacted, howthe solution impacts their area, and how it affects their job and strategicgoals.

Communicate early and often withthese stakeholders. If there is one area in particular that will benefit morefrom the new system, engage them as partners in the process of selection andimplementation. Always remember that these stakeholders have influence on end-userperception.

So, who are your stakeholders?

An example: Are you frustratedthat your learning management system (LMS) has poor reporting functionality?Your audit or risk department is probably equally frustrated. By partneringtogether, you reduce the possibility of implementing overlapping solutions toaddress the same problems, and you build relationships critical to yourbusiness.

Consider other potentialpartners, such as human resources. If they struggle with an outdated processfor sourcing, recruiting, assessing, and managing employees, there’s apossibility the system you are considering addresses those needs.

If you can, hold a series ofmeetings with stakeholders and superusers to encourage collaboration anddiscussion. Paint a picture for other areas of the company, gather feedback,and prepare to answer concerns specific to their area.

A good vendor partner should behelpful in this process. They have led countless system rollouts, and shouldhave resources and best practices to help. Tap into the collective knowledge oftheir implementation team and use it as a starting point for planning.

Stakeholders should understandthe impact of not moving forward with a carefully planned approach to systemimplementation and end-user adoption.

For stakeholder meetings, usethe power of executive presence to create an impact and sense of importance.When someone at a high level invites stakeholders, they see the meeting asimportant.

Utilize a project plan

If your company has a dedicated project-managementdepartment or someone with a similar skill set (and time) that can support yourteam throughout the project lifecycle, use their help. In many cases projectmanagers have a grasp of other efforts happening in the company that couldimpact your implementation. They also can help guide the project and manageresources throughout the process.

The project manager can uncoverother efforts that could cause competition for resources (time, money).Identifying risks to the project early on can avert disaster.

Celebrate success

Quick wins are vital. Consider:

• Naming contests to brand the system
• Identifying superusers and rewarding them forsharing their success
• Fun contests to encourage knowledge sharing andfriendly competition
• Showcasing superusers through existing companycommunications: intranet, email, newsletters, publications, etc.
• Communicating project milestones, showcasingquick wins, and tailoring communication to a variety of audiences increasesvisibility and interest in the system.

Larger companies may alsoconsider specific communication plans that include a plan for communicationdates and delivery. Consider:

• Communication vehicles (company intranet andLMS, newsletters, email, internal posters, meetings, etc.)
• Targeted messages for each audience
• A plan for when messages are delivered
• Ongoing communication and training

Embrace change management

Recognize that change is apsychological process. Change often creates fear, and your end users will have differentreactions to the process of adopting a new system or process. Generationaldifferences, past experience (positive and negative) with other systems,support from managers, and access to training and resources can influence theeffectiveness of managing the change.

Steps that users may experienceduring the transition include:

• Building awareness
• Understanding the WIFM, or “what’s in it for me”
• Trying and experimenting with the system
• Continuing to experience, use, and possibly getfrustrated along the way
• System adoption
• Proficiency

Remember that different usergroups will appreciate the system in different ways. Some groups of users mayneed to use the system daily.

A customer relationshipmanagement solution, for example, may be a part of every salesperson’s dailyroutine. But finance or accounting may not scrutinize the metrics they use fromthat system daily.

It’s different for every companyand every system, and it’s important to understand the different groupsinvolved.

Design with users in mind

In a class that I teach on LMS selection,we utilize a detailed systems requirements checklist to compare vendors fairly.Some of the system features and functionality from the list that have a directimpact on end users include:

• A single sign-on allows users to access systemwithout logging in separately
• Mobile apps compatible with multiple devices
• Just-in-time support for end users, throughdedicated support personnel, job aids, or FAQs
• Clean and easy navigation of the search database
• Calendar views and email class-date reminders
• Training roadmap or a dashboard configured foreach user
• Can learner self-enroll for classes or requestpermission through the system?

Consider what matters to yourend users, in addition to your stakeholders. Users are more likely to adopt asystem if it is responsive, easy to use, accessible on demand, and intuitive.Our familiarity with websites we access for personal use can dictate what weexpect from the systems we use at work.

Designing with the end user inmind, testing extensively, communicating often, and celebrating successincreases your likelihood of adoption.