Technology changes are inevitable in almost any business. But sometimes, they don't go as planned.
Watch the video below to see why new technology implementations sometimes fail and how you can avoid these pitfalls.
With business needs evolving so rapidly these days, many organizations need to make important technology changes within their environment. However, pains and frustrations from previous technology implementations might have them a little hesitant to embark on new IT projects.
Fear should never paralyze you into not embracing change that is necessary. Not making a change when things seem fine may seem like a safe decision, but this kind of paralysis leads to long term challenges that can be even more painful.
I’d like to talk about some of the reasons Why New Technology Implementations Fail. I hope this information helps you learn to be both successful and comfortable with the evolution of technology in your business.
Let’s get started.
Reason #1 – Lack of Team Discussion
Ever hear someone say “well, the IT guy said we are moving to a new system, but I have no idea what’s going on!”
A common misconception is that technology decisions should be left to the technology people. Granted, there is expertise needed to deal with many of the details about a change or upgrade, but for the high level decisions, stakeholders with different backgrounds or departments within the organization should have a say.
It’s difficult for one person to have the perspective of individuals who have dramatically different backgrounds and work experience, so consider having some kind of Steering Committee when it comes to big picture decisions… and ask your team what they need to be successful with their jobs.
I think you will find that as you get more people involved, you will make better decisions, and have improved buy-in from your team when a challenging implementation is about to happen.
Reason #2 – Not Properly Prioritizing
Sometimes, a leader in the organization will see a hot new application that addresses a serious business need, and they immediately see the value of the product. They enthusiastically sign an agreement and an installation begins. But what was sold as an easy to use and implement product becomes a nightmare as unexpected problems occur like speed issues or data migration problems. So what happened?
Often, the problem is not properly prioritizing. The allure of a hot new product overshadowed other technology issues that should have been addressed first. Just like how you can’t build a house without a proper foundation, you can’t implement major changes without a proper infrastructure.
Before you agree to move forward on a significant change, such as a new business management application or a move from onsite servers to the Cloud, you need to look at your entire technology landscape to make sure you are properly equipped to handle it. You want to discover your technology shortcomings before making the big decisions, so that you can minimize surprises and have a smooth transition to a new solution.
Reason #3 – Ignoring Security, Risk and Compliance
Even when a business has gone through the process of making a change that seems to work, they often fail to re-evaluate how the change will impact their security, compliance, and risk management.
Consider, for example, a move from in-house servers to the cloud. Before the cloud became commonplace, businesses had to worry about things like local data backups and offsite recovery. But now the risk has changed. You don’t have to worry quite as much about recovering data after hard drives on a server fail. Nowadays, your concerns should focus more on keeping a stable Internet connection or making sure that data is encrypted between your company’s devices and your Cloud services provider.
Even more concerning may be compliance. Moving to a solution that, while functional, might not meet compliance standards for the type of data you use, and could leave you with significant liabilities. Sure, you saved a bunch of money or sped up your workflow with a new product, but a data breach or compliance audit could put all of that at risk.
Make sure that these factors are a part of the discussion as you make the decision to change your technology.
Reason #4 – No Measure of Success or Follow Up
A lot of people get excited to make technology changes, and they think about all the ways this change will improve their day to day lives. Then the project is “finished”, and weeks later they discover that nothing has really changed, or perhaps some individuals are struggling to deal with the new solution.
Before making a change, come up with metrics that will determine whether the change is successful for the organization. Then once the implementation is complete, survey your team again, and don’t assume that just because something is “working” that it is doing the job you set out for it to do.
When we wrap up projects at DP Solutions, we like to take the time to survey the users and spend a little bit of hand holding time to make sure that everyone is left in a good place.
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I bet you have experienced frustrations and difficulties in the past when making technology changes. I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments section!
Thanks so much for watching and as always, stay vigilant my friends!
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