Sure, you’ve used the new tech, but have you adopted it?
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Everything you need to know about end-user adoption
I have been working in technology adoption since 2019. While adoption has become more important than ever with the rise of AI, it has always been a key point of discussion surrounding the purchase of any technology. With my focus on computer software, I have helped organizations adopt tools across Microsoft 365, Google, Box, Dropbox, Slack, Webex, and now AI. Although the type of technology has varied over the years, the question has always been the same: how can we increase adoption?
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.
The rest of this post will lay out the difference between using technology and adopting technology. For those that are new to this space, I have bolded any terms that may be unfamiliar to you and provided definitions in the Glossary of Terms at the end.
Usage Metrics
If I were to deploy Microsoft Teams to an organization, there are several usage metrics I can track in the admin portal to determine if end users are using the technology. The one most gravitate to is the Active User metric, which asks one simple question: did the user open the application? For those selling the technology, this is great because they get to say “Look! 90% of your organization uses the application. You should keep buying from me!” For those who need to report to their superiors, it’s also pretty good because it gives them quantitative information that “proves” the investment was valid – “Look! Everyone is using the thing we spent a lot of money on, it was worth it!”
The problem with this is that the executives reviewing that information have likely not adopted the technology themselves; statistically speaking, most executives are the last to adopt the tools. So, when you put Usage Metrics in front of those business decision-makers, they don’t buy it because when they see their name on the list of active users they know its BS. I’ve seen it time and time again; the people spending the money don’t care about usage, they care about value from the usage, and that only comes with adoption.
Think about it like purchasing a new car. You can get in the car, look around for a minute, and figure out how to drive it. If someone were to look at your active user metrics, they would see that you drive your car every day – Success! But if I only ever use the minimum features to get me from A to B, then I have not reached adoption. When we don’t reach adoption, we are most likely not enjoying the ride as much as we could be, and if you were to ask, “How do you like the new car?”, you’re very likely to get some negative feedback:
It’s supposed to have Bluetooth, but it never connects.
The leather seats are nice, but they’re really cold in the winter.
The third row is great to have, but the trunk space is really small.
I’m using the car, but I have not adopted all the great features it has; I don’t realize that all the little things I am frustrated by have a solution within the scope of what I have already paid for. On the other hand, if I had someone tracking the right metrics, then in the first few months of owning the car we would be able to proactively address these issues.
For example, if I had access to an admin portal for the car that showed me all the different advanced features, then I would be able to see that the car is being driven (usage), but the heated seats have never been used, the back row has never been lowered to create more trunk space, and the Bluetooth has yet to be activated. If you’re tracking those adoption metrics, then a simple training session or communication message promoting those features would have changed me from reluctantly using to actively promoting – “I love my new car!”
Adoption Metrics
Within any technology admin portal, there will be metrics you can track. The key is to look beyond the Usage Metrics – did they send a chat, join a meeting, etc. – and toward the more advanced features. While it is easy to view those as “nice to haves,” they are the features that take a user over the tipping point from using to adopting. Microsoft, in particular, has made this easy to distinguish by providing a separate category of metrics which they call The Adoption Score.
If you enter the admin portal, in the Reports section you will find the familiar Usage Metrics and now the newly added Adoption Score. Here is where you can see the more advanced features that lead to adoption. Microsoft takes the usage of these more advanced features and provides an overall score. While I believe this score is extremely helpful for a first look at how your organization is doing, there are some aspects of it which I disagree with. For example, there is an Adoption Score for Communication.
When I first look at my Communication Score it appears that I have a perfect score: 100/100. When I dig deeper, I discover that the reason this metric gave me a perfect score is because all my users are using at least two modes of communication, in this case, email and Teams chat. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine many organizations out there that aren’t using email and chat, making this a pretty poor reflection of how successfully the organization is communicating. If we drill down, however, into the next level of the metrics, we can see how the org is communicating. I am not sure why Microsoft chose to leave these metrics out of their total communication score, but this is where you should be looking to track adoption.
If someone is using Teams but only sending chat messages, then they are using the tool but they haven’t adopted it yet. They haven’t changed any behaviors or taken advantage of the more advanced productivity features that make their work more effective. If I wanted to track adoption in Teams, I can’t just look at chat messages; I need to look at channel posts – are they reacting to posts or are they posting themselves? If they attend meetings, are they just attending? Or have they shared their screen? Turned on their camera?
If I attend a meeting in Teams, then I am using Teams. If I organize a meeting, add a Loop Agenda to share information ahead of time, turn on my camera, share my screen using PowerPoint Live and then use Copilot to summarize the meeting and send out a post-meeting communication, well, now I have adopted Teams. You see the difference? Using is driving the car. Adopting is knowing how to use cruise control.
How do I increase adoption?
Let’s go back to that original question: how do I increase adoption?
Step 1: Make sure you are tracking adoption metrics, and not just usage metrics.
Step 2: Reinforce the usage of more advanced features that lead to true adoption.
Once you know what behavior you need to change, you need to spread awareness of the features you want to promote and provide the right training. In most cases, these can be very grassroots efforts through Champions programs or posting tips in company-wide spaces. In the case of Microsoft, they offer suggestions for improving your score. For example, if I want to improve our meeting habits as an organization, I can see the actions that Microsoft suggests.
When I click on “Promote using interactive features in Teams meetings,” it takes me to recommended actions that I can carry out directly from the admin portal.
They also provide Related Video Content, and my favorite part is that Microsoft gives you the ability to download them. When you click through and find one that is helpful for your organization, you can download it and post it directly to your Intranet or add it to an LMS learning path. This decreases the number of clicks a user needs to take to get the training they need and increases their chances of carrying out the new adoption behaviors.
Example of a training video that can be uploaded to your environment. Maximum output for minimal input!
Summary
The journey from merely using technology to fully adopting it is crucial for maximizing the value and efficiency of any tool within an organization. Usage Metrics, while useful for initial assessments, often fall short in capturing the true essence of adoption. They provide a surface-level view that can be misleading if not complemented by deeper insights into how advanced features are being utilized. Adoption metrics, on the other hand, offer a more comprehensive understanding by highlighting the engagement with these advanced features, thereby painting a clearer picture of how well the technology is being integrated into daily workflows.
To drive end-user adoption, it is essential to focus on the right metrics and foster the desired behaviors through targeted communication and training. By leveraging the metrics for the more advanced features of the tools you are using, organizations can identify areas for improvement and take proactive steps to enhance user engagement. This not only ensures the investment in the technology is justified, but also empowers users to fully exploit the capabilities of the tools at their disposal, leading to increased productivity and satisfaction. Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond mere usage and achieve a state where technology becomes an integral part of the organizational culture, driving innovation and success.
Glossary of Terms
Adoption: In the context of technology and business, adoption refers to the process by which users begin to accept and use a new product, service, or practice. It involves the integration of the new system into regular use.
Adoption and Change Management (ACM): This refers to the process of managing the human aspects of adopting new technologies or processes within an organization. It involves strategies to help individuals and teams transition smoothly and embrace changes to achieve desired business outcomes. Read more in What is Adoption and Change Management? — KristenBHubler.com
Active User: An active user is someone who engages with a product or service within a specified period, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. This metric is used to measure user engagement and retention. In Microsoft 365, active users are defined as a user that uses at least one feature of the application within a reporting period. For example, for a user to be considered in the month of March November they only need to open the application once.
Champions/Champions Program: A Champions program is a structured initiative to engage and reward the most active and passionate community members. It involves selecting dedicated members, defining their roles, and offering incentives like exclusive badges or special access to events to motivate and retain them. Executive and leaders help drive technology transformations from the top down, whereas Champions help support from the bottom up.
Deploy/Deployment: Deployment is the act of distributing and installing software, systems, or applications across various environments, such as development, testing, and production. It involves making a system operational and available for use.
End-user: An end-user is the person who ultimately uses or is intended to use a product or service. They are the final consumers in the product's lifecycle.
Intranet: An intranet is a private network used within an organization to share information, facilitate communication, and provide collaboration tools among employees. It operates similarly to the internet but is restricted to authorized users within the organization. Intranets often include features like employee directories, document sharing, company news, and other resources to support internal operations.
LMS: An LMS, or Learning Management System, is a software application designed for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs. It helps create, manage, organize, and deliver online learning materials to learners, making it easier for educators and trainers to provide and monitor educational content.
Roll out: This term refers to the process of launching or introducing a new product, service, or system to the public or within an organization. It often involves a phased approach to ensure smooth implementation and adoption.
Stakeholder: A stakeholder is any individual or group that has an interest in the success and outcomes of a project, organization, or system. This includes employees, customers, investors, suppliers, and the community.
Tipping Point: The tipping point is the critical threshold at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. It marks the moment when a trend or behavior reaches a point of no return and becomes self-sustaining.
Usage: Usage refers to the manner or amount of using something, such as a product, service, or resource.
Usage Metrics: These are measurements that track how often and in what ways a product or service is used. Usage metrics help organizations understand user engagement, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve the product.
