the groupery blog

Managing Technology Changes

 

 

This week during a webinar with NTEN, I had the honor of learning from Dahna Goldstein and Victoria M. Grady, PhD during their webinar titled, “Technology Meets Psychology in Your Organization”.  In the consulting field, we talk about this as change management – like a new snowfall, it continues to be problematic – despite all the strides we have made in technology, which never ceases to amaze me.  So – I suppose what I continue to be reminded of is that it’s human nature that people are human – we all have different speeds in which we can accept change.  We are resistant, fearful and cautious with anything new, especially if we have unrealistic expectations.

Nowadays, not only does the IT person need to be asking everyday customers how their experience has been with the technology, but what could make the process easier to adopt as we start to embrace more social media.  Through an open communication approach, anything we as an organization ask our customers to change in terms of behavior may be not always perceived as a ‘gain in time or energy’ – so we need to talk with our customers and think through areas that are lost in terms of their time to re-learn process, log in, navigation or process.  We always need to keep in mind as IT advocates our customers’ perspectives as they are the ones that are out there advocating for the cause and/or committed to making change in the world.

Important Change Management Approach:
Rather than going directly to making a change relating to technology without our customers input – make sure that we include them in the process along the way.  Ask them for their input in a focus group, invite them into a design or testing process, invite them to review any critical user documents or communications.  Work with key active members to give you the feedback that you need to your communication of technology changes effective and useful to the end users.

Consider spending more time to get to know your customers through their patterns of behavior, through their preferred interaction methods and customize, customize, customize.  Because while we live in a technology rich environment today – we need to be conscious of the rate of change that our targeted audience can accept and make sure to involve them along the way. 

 

Extending Trusted Networks

Last night at the Ambassador in San Francisco, Citizen Effect held its Launch Event.  Previously called 1 Well, Citizen Effect goes way beyond water & sanitation in its collaborative effort to "change the world, one community at a time."  Not only does the organization ask everyday folks to "be the solution," it passes the reins.  Through its member-centric approach, anything Citizen Effect gives up in terms of control is gained times over in key areas that are lost in more traditional frameworks:  members' time, expertise, commitment and (perhaps the most valuable) extended trusted networks.

The super smart approach:
Rather than going directly to financial donors and asking for a check or credit card, the organization "empowers Citizen Philanthropists" to take on this crucial but often daunting "chunk of the business."  Who needs in-house experts when you have a community of experts to fill a phone book ready to volunteer their time?  Additionally, and this is the part I really like, these volunteer fundraising leaders approach their existing network of friends, families, colleagues to secure financial support.  This goes beyond tapping previously untapped resources to securing altogether new resources! 

The analogy that comes to mind is the wrapping paper fundraiser my daughters participated in to raise money for their school.  We live miles from the school and miles from town.  Many of our neighbors do not have school age children and are not thinking about the budget shortfalls the school faces.  So, when these generous neighbors purchase wrapping paper, it is NOT about the wrapping paper, it is NOT about the school's financial woes, it is 100% about supporting neighborhood kids who are going to the effort to raise money for something they care about.  Likewise, when I approach my network of friends and family as a Citizen Philanthropist to help with a childcare center in Dungra Village, I do not need to start from scratch:  finding contacts, developing trust, educating potential donors about the need/value of their contributions, then asking for donations.  In my trusted network (that took me years to build),  I start way ahead of the game. 

By entrusting members to take the lead, Citizen Effect lives what they believe:  the power of the individual to create change.  And, in doing so, the organization enables the passion of any one person to create significant, sustainable change in the lives of many (some of who they know well, some who they will never meet).

 

 

Lynne has over fifteen years of product marketing and management experience, an MBA from Dartmouth (Amos Tuck School), and an AB from Stanford University. Mom of four girls, Lynne has been PTO President, producer of several school plays, is a Lacrosse and basketball mom, is active in Surfrider Foundation, SurfAid International, USA Triathlon, and the Waverly Writers.