Adoption is a concept that is important to all stakeholders. The people buying the technology need to prove to their superiors that it is worth the cost, and the people selling the technology know that if it does not get adopted, the customer will not renew. With updates to technology happening at unprecedented rates, making it even more difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest, we have seen a rise in the need for adoption and change management (ACM) to help customize communication and training for a technology deployment. A key part of a successful ACM process is defining what success looks like, and when it comes to technology, most organizations get this wrong.

Last week, I received a prescription reminder from CVS. For years, I have been getting text reminders like these from various organizations. If I'm being honest, I know I need them but have still always found them rather annoying. Leave me alone, I would think, I'll do it tomorrow. Therefore, on this particular occasion when I picked up my phone and checked the message, the last thing I was expecting to do was smile.

Adoption and change management (often abbreviated as ACM) is an idea that emerged in the last decade. I first became familiar with it in early 2019 when it became very popular in organizations as they tried to adopt new technology like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, etc. If you have searched for this term, it is likely because you know you need to apply change management to your technology adoption and may not know where to start. Or perhaps you’re a change practitioner trying to understand why ACM is different than OCM. This article is meant to go back to basics and provide a solid foundation of the words you may hear when you learn about ACM and what they might mean for you and the technology you are trying to roll out.

How to Make Difficult Conversations a Little Less Difficult | Part 2

I have heard from many different people some version of the phrase So what I hear you're saying is…. It is a sentence that, when used in the right conversation, can be a good tool. On the other hand, when used in a difficult conversation, can destroy your chance of a positive outcome.

Why Communication Strategy Matters

It is very easy to look at this classic cartoon and blame the workers that are too busy. At one glance it is easy to judge and think, how silly, if only they took a minute to try something new. While I understand that this is where our minds first go, I personally want to cut them some slack and I doubt I’m the only change practitioner to have those same feelings. I don't think it's their fault because we've all been there.

Clearing the Path for Change | Part 3

When I was just shy of 2-years- old, I drove our old red minivan into a tree. My mother had left the car running and parked in our neighbor’s driveway, just stepping out for a quick moment to drop something at their front door. In the minutes she was gone I successfully broke out of my car seat, climbed over three rows, put the car in drive, and drove down the hill into a tree. Before you try to cast blame on my mother, you should know that I also tried to jump off the dresser claiming I was super baby and therefore could obviously fly. So clearly no number of straps were holding this child down. At least not in 1987.