14 Expert Tips to Increase Technology Adoption at your Company & Sample OKRs

Getting Buy-in: Top 14 Ways to Increase Adoption

Recently, someone asked me for advice on increasing adoption of a new technology. As I shared my insights, they eagerly took notes and inquired if I had published this information. Motivated by their interest, I took the time to collect my thoughts into a cohesive list.

Below are 14 tips for getting buy-in and increasing adoption with a new process or technology:

1. Identify Potential Users: Start by identifying potential users for your new technology or process. Begin by targeting those who can migrate with minimal effort, which will make adoption more accessible.
2. Identify Blockers and Address Them: Identify the top blockers for adoption and solve for those. Typical blockers may include migration being too painful, not knowing how to use the new system, or not having the time. Addressing these issues can remove significant barriers to adoption.
3. Provide Adequate Training: Provide training sessions followed by smaller group or one-on-one sessions to ensure that team members understand the new process or technology. Allocating time for adoption, learning, and experimentation will build confidence and reduce resistance.
4. Demonstrate Value: Show the clear value of changing to the new process or technology, including the personal benefits for each team member. Offer explicit incentives that align with their goals and show why this new solution is the “right” solution.
5. Collect Feedback: Encourage feedback and incorporate it into the decision-making process. Be open to hearing about where it falls short and be responsive to your users. Ideally, respond to users in a public forum or doc so that anyone with similar concerns can have their anxieties alleviated.
6. Investment from Leadership: Leaders need to be invested in the decision, accountable for its success, and lead by example.
7. Incorporate Accountability: Incorporate “adopts new procedures and technologies” into employee evaluations, ensuring accountability for slowing down business progress.
8. Communicate Clearly: Communicate the benefits and goals of the new process or technology clearly and effectively. Avoid ambiguity and ensure everyone is aware of the changes that are coming.
9. Involve Teams in Decision-Making: Involve teams in the decision-making process to ensure buy-in and commitment. Encourage feedback and address concerns as they arise.
10. Create a Sense of Ownership: Encourage users to take ownership of the new process or technology. Make it clear that their participation is essential to its success.
11. Prepare for an Influx of Support Cases: Be prepared for an increase in support volume after implementing a new process or technology. Take steps upfront to set up self-help mechanisms, so your team isn’t overwhelmed.
12. Embed New Solution into Onboarding: Include the new process or technology in onboarding to evangelize it as the primary method for all new hires.
13. Make it Fun: Incorporate gamification or other engagement strategies to make the adoption process fun. This will help reduce resistance and create excitement around the change.
14. Celebrate Success: Celebrate successes along the way to encourage continued commitment and adoption. Recognize the efforts of the folks who successfully adopted the new solution and ensure they feel appreciated and valued.

Increasing adoption across teams is a crucial step in achieving success with a new process or technology. With the right approach, you can achieve successful adoption and create a culture of innovation and progress.

OKRs

Objective 1: Increase the Number of Active Users of the Technology Solution

Key Results:

• Increase the number of daily active users by 50%
• Reduce the number of inactive users by 25%
• Increase the time spent using the technology solution by 25%
• Increase the number of tasks completed using the technology solution by 30%

Hypothesis: By providing adequate training and demonstrating the value of the new technology solution, we will be able to increase the number of active users and decrease the number of inactive users. By improving the onboarding process, we will be able to improve adoption rates and increase the percentage of users who complete the onboarding process.

Action Items:

• Provide group training sessions followed by smaller group or one-on-one sessions.
• Embed the new solution into onboarding to evangelize it as the primary method for all new hires.
• Develop quick start guides and other resources to help users get up to speed quickly.
• Provide group training sessions followed by smaller group or one-on-one sessions to ensure that team members understand the new process or technology.
• Offer explicit incentives that align with users’ goals.
• Collect feedback about where the technology solution falls short and address the issues.
• Provide clear and concise communication about the benefits and goals of the new technology solution.
• Celebrate successes along the way to encourage continued commitment and adoption.

Objective 2: Improve the User Experience of the Technology Solution

Key Results:

• Increase the user satisfaction rate by 20%
• Reduce the number of support cases by 30%
• Improve the average response time for support requests by 50%

Hypothesis: By incorporating user feedback, providing adequate training, and improving the support process, we will be able to improve the user experience of the technology solution.

Action Items:

• Incorporate “adopts new procedures and technologies” into employee evaluations.
• Encourage feedback and incorporate it into the decision-making process.
• Identify the top blockers for adoption and solve for those.
• Set up self-help mechanisms to reduce support requests.
• Celebrate successes along the way to encourage continued commitment and adoption.