Comments on: The Challenge of User Adoption with Small, Remote Teams

By: Inside Sales

Inside Sales — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:10:42 +0000

Just want to make a comment about being consistent. Using the wiki is such a good idea. When you try to send everything through email it gets so disorganized and messy.

By: How to Make Efficiency Infectious When Working With a Team

How to Make Efficiency Infectious When Working With a Team — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:02:01 +0000

[...] explain the “why”. Some members might disregard the tools or process you’ve recommended. Although they may just be more comfortable with their own system, it might be at odds with the way [...]

By: Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Perfecting Change Management «

Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Perfecting Change Management « — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:00:49 +0000

[...] what can we web workers — who thrive on new ways of doing our jobs — do to help our companies and colleagues through the hiccups of [...]

By: Paula Thornton

Paula Thornton — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:30:16 +0000

Gadzooks! User training? When did you ever get trained on Google?

The key to adoption is good experience design. That’s not the same as good UX design (but you can be lucky and get the same results). Not all UX practitioners are savvy enough to question the fundamentals of a concept altogether from an economic perspective: does it add value, does it add relevant value?

In over 20 years there is still a high-value function that most high-profile word processing users need (and that Word Perfect had in place that many years): parallel columns (the ability to have two things side-by-side and behave as a single unit down the page — different from snaking columns). The only way to achieve it is in tables and the minute you put text into tables it takes on behaviors and limitations you’re not prepared to deal with.

By: K.Thailand

K.Thailand — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:04:55 +0000

Thanks Judy. My colleagues from the teachnical department used the same strategy when they try to convert us to use Gmail for work in stead of Outlook. However, it depends on a corperate culture. It’s hard to kick an old habit. If you are patient and supportive, they will come around.

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:57:23 +0000

As a member of a software team that specializes in the development of online communication tools which shall go unnamed because I don’t believe in shameless plugs, we have attempted to create intuitive interfaces that lead the user in a sort of wizard way which we refer to as “Initial State” screens, but even that is not enough. We find that users still want us to manually train them in either a face to face visit to their campus or in a web based training. The bottom line is that if you don’t get the buy in, and the best by far is organic proliferation of your apps, they will die a slow and painful death.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:04:44 +0000

I just finished going through this with google apps for a volunteer board I’m working with. The handholding is essential. For many of us (at least me), that’s the least enjoyable part of the work. I’ve tried to get volunteer teams like this to make changes in the past without the extra guidance and it just doesn’t work. It will be worth the extra effort in productivity that you squeeze out of the initiative, and you get karma points with the people you are helping.

As long as you’re nice about it….

By: Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive The Challenge of User Adoption with Small, Remote Teams «

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:33:50 +0000

[...] Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive The Challenge of User Adoption with Small, Remote Teams &laquo…: “Some simple tips that I’ve found effective in remotely encouraging user adoption of social/collaborative tools:” * Understand your team’s work habits * Deploy slowly * Ask the tough questions * Be prepared to offer user training * Be consistent * Look for tools that will be easier to adopt [...]

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:47:28 +0000

A very pertinent article! I am singular alone in the world of web / tech in the office – my one success so far is getting people to use Basecamp, which is proving a real success. I am going to champion this for a few months and then seen what happens…. wish me luck!

By: Philippe Borremans

Philippe Borremans — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:30:39 +0000

A lot has to do with the corporate culture in place; do people naturally share information or is there a culture of not trusting other colleagues…?

I am convinced that people in general do not like change but that some “tactics” can work:

Use case studies with clear and understandable ROI: show and tell them how it worked with others with a similar challenge. This can go as far as taking examples of competitors in the same industry, people in the same mind set etc… Return on investment should be explained in very concrete terms like “faster”, “more productive” but with percentages and figures is that’s what they understand. Example: explaining wikis by telling them exactly how much time and money they will save by using them in comparing with the current “email” culture.

Use “champions”: every company has highly regarded individuals; sales heroes, the communicative manager, the fixer who makes it all happen etc… Try to engage them and lead by example. Getting to a “if he/she does it that way then it will be a good way to go”.

Include people from the start: if a decision to start internal blogging has been made, then engage employees in the set up of internal guidelines (through a wiki) and do not impose guidelines which have been created by corporate communications and the legal department.

Definitely go for hands on, face to face and very practical training.

Just my 2cents.

PS: great blog !