User adoption strategies for Sharepoint - part 1 #intra12

My notes from the pre-conference workshop with Michael Sampson about User Adoption strategies for Sharepoint. (This workshop is part of the Intranet Conference.)

Technology is easy compared to getting people to use the technology. Most people aren't first wave users. They don't say: Give the new tech to me. They ask: "Why should I use it? What is the reason for the new technology? My work has to be improved by the new technology." They basically tolerate the tools. If something is easier it's better for them than that it is perfect.
Most organizations assume adoption will be 100%. So, there's a problem. The objective is not user adoption. It's the overal effectiveness of the organization for instance. Or, improve work.
The overal approach to user adoption is very important. (Refer to the Collaboration Roadmap.)
Research shows that people are least satisfied when IT rolls out and the most dissatisfied....

Sharepoint is a platform. This means there are loads of ways you can use it. "Users need to know to much to use Sharepoint." Sharepoint roll outs are mostly too IT focused.

Roadblocks to adoption:
  1. Roadblocks from individuals, like bad previous experiences, the system is terrible, gives transparency, etc.
  2. Roadblocks from groups, like group habits, irrevocable change, work practice and technology are inseparable, etc.
  3. Roadblocks from organizations, like organizational culture, inconsistency (vision, direction), time, playing politics and other systems.
  4. Roadblocks from nations, like strict privacy laws (Germany and France).
Five models of change:
  1. Stages of change: change is a process, not an event.
  2. Diffusion of ideas: people follow 'opinion leaders' and that becomes the new 'social norm'
  3. Culture and work practice: work practice is part of culture. Culture is not the first and only issue. It's the start of the conversation not the end.
  4. Sticks and carrots: incentives, beat people...
So, change is a process, people follow people they respect, it's a non-lineair process, cultural change takes more than technology change and increased utility is a big motivator.

Four stages model of user adoption:
  1. Winning attention: what are others doing?, how we get them interested?
  2. Cultivating basic concepts: explain how stuff works (e.g. the Sharepoint in plain English video), train
  3. Enlivening Applicability: explore reasons and value
  4. Making it real: make is personally relevant
When you roll out a new technology, like Sharepoint, make sure you focus on 5-7 key affordances people will have when using the new platform. W.r.t. Sharepoint this can be lists and document versioning for instance.
Classroom training and web-based training is a way to support the successful adoption of new technology. But, again, make the training focused on a couple of points and relevant to their work. Also, pages on the intranet can be used to train people. Example for Sharepoint can be found here.

This is part 1 of my pre-conference workshop notes. Part 2 will be published in a bit!

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