How do you get users to engage in system innovation and transformation projects?

How do you get users to engage in system innovation and transformation projects? This is a common challenge for systems managers who want to improve the performance, efficiency, and usability of their systems. In this article, you will learn some practical tips and strategies to motivate and involve your users in the process of system change.

1 Understand your users

The first step to engaging your users is to understand their needs, preferences, pain points, and expectations. You can use various methods to gather user feedback, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or analytics. By listening to your users, you will gain insights into their goals, challenges, and frustrations with the current system. You will also be able to identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement.

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Eileen Bressler

Financial Services Consulting | Functional Dynamics CRM Consultant | Senior Manager | Business Operations Excellence | Change Management | Process Improvement | IT Systems | Center of Excellence
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Listening to your users is critical to any potential system changes. Even the best innovations require input from, and value by the end users. What a developer or IT manager might find to be an incredible benefit may be insignificant to the end user, or the other way around. Listening and truly hearing the end users will provide IT with a prioritized list of enhancements that will be valued. I don't believe surveys are the way to get this. In my experience, immersing yourself into their daily tasks and asking the question "why do you do this/"what do you need this for?" helps pinpoint tasks people are doing just because that's how they've always done it.

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2 Communicate the benefits

The second step to engaging your users is to communicate the benefits of the system innovation and transformation project. You need to explain the purpose, scope, and objectives of the project, and how it will address the user feedback and improve the system outcomes. You also need to highlight the value proposition and the competitive advantage of the new system. You can use various channels to communicate the benefits, such as newsletters, presentations, webinars, or demos.

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Eileen Bressler

Financial Services Consulting | Functional Dynamics CRM Consultant | Senior Manager | Business Operations Excellence | Change Management | Process Improvement | IT Systems | Center of Excellence
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If the end user doesn't "see" how this change will benefit them, IT will get very little buy in and support. An innovative project may not be an improvement to every single person or department, but those that will need to adapt to the change need to understand how it will affect them or their process as a whole. I believe the stakeholders need to see it in writing and have an opportunity to provide some relevant feedback. That feedback can be communicated during demos, webinars or Q&A sessions.

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3 Involve your users

The third step to engaging your users is to involve them in the design, development, testing, and implementation of the new system. You can use various techniques to co-create and co-design the system with your users, such as workshops, prototypes, mockups, or user stories. By involving your users, you will ensure that the system meets their needs and expectations, and that they feel ownership and commitment to the project.

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Eileen Bressler

Financial Services Consulting | Functional Dynamics CRM Consultant | Senior Manager | Business Operations Excellence | Change Management | Process Improvement | IT Systems | Center of Excellence
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No one knows a process better than the people that are doing it. High level managers and IT don't have the ability to see the granular tasks, some that happen even before a system is touched. It's important to have the end users share with IT their process today and collaboratively work toward what the process should be in the future. There's a lot of insight IT can gain by watching the keystrokes. In my experience, watching a user demonstrate a process, I have been able to find ways to automate some of their redundant or unnecessary tasks. Things that they may not even think about mentioning. Involvement of the end users is key!

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4 Provide training and support

The fourth step to engaging your users is to provide training and support for the new system. You need to ensure that your users have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to use the new system effectively and efficiently. You can use various methods to train and support your users, such as manuals, videos, tutorials, or help desks. By providing training and support, you will reduce the resistance and anxiety that often accompany system change.

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Isaiah Olateru

Transformation Architect | Big Data Strategy | Data Products & AI Evaluation | Machine Learning | Data Science | Inventor | People First
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Make it easy, beneficial, and effortless for the users to engage. If you can think of way to make the easier path the “path to engage” or one that draws in users, then you’re ahead.

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5 Reward and recognize your users

The fifth step to engaging your users is to reward and recognize their contribution and participation in the system innovation and transformation project. You need to acknowledge and appreciate their feedback, ideas, suggestions, and efforts. You can use various ways to reward and recognize your users, such as certificates, badges, vouchers, or shout-outs. By rewarding and recognizing your users, you will increase their satisfaction and loyalty to the new system.

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6 Monitor and evaluate your users

The sixth step to engaging your users is to monitor and evaluate their usage, behavior, and feedback on the new system. You need to measure and analyze the impact and outcomes of the system innovation and transformation project on your users. You can use various tools to monitor and evaluate your users, such as dashboards, reports, surveys, or interviews. By monitoring and evaluating your users, you will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the new system, and make adjustments and improvements as needed.

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Eileen Bressler

Financial Services Consulting | Functional Dynamics CRM Consultant | Senior Manager | Business Operations Excellence | Change Management | Process Improvement | IT Systems | Center of Excellence
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After rollout of system changes, it is important to check in with the users. In practical use, do the changes achieve what was planned? Can we further improve? Feedback should always be welcome and new ideas should always be explored. A retrospect meeting should always follow the completion of a project and then a regroup not too far down the line should also occur.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Nadja Burns

VP, Product Developer - Digital Transformation
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Getting colleagues, clients or any "users" to truly engage in innovation or transformation activities, they need to be and feel heard. Follow-up is critical as is seeing their ideas taken up and reflected in the development process. Involve the people who took the time to speak up in a few steps as you're crafting a new product or transformation strategy to show how things are progressing and what's happening with their ideas. Even if ideas don't make it into the final solution, it's important to show that due consideration was given. Everyone wants to feel valued and I think this is a great way of doing just that.

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How do you get users to engage in system innovation and transformation projects?

1

2

3

4

5

6

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1 Understand your users

2 Communicate the benefits

3 Involve your users

4 Provide training and support

5 Reward and recognize your users

6 Monitor and evaluate your users

7 Here’s what else to consider

Systems Management

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How do you get users to engage in system innovation and transformation projects?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Understand your users

2 Communicate the benefits

3 Involve your users

4 Provide training and support

5 Reward and recognize your users

6 Monitor and evaluate your users

7 Here’s what else to consider

Systems Management

Rate this article

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