As is often the case: the bigger the company, the slower it is to change its processes and adopt new technologies. And it makes sense. After all, you don’t expect a semi-truck to stop on a dime or a cruise ship to make a quick turn. Corporations have a great deal of institutional inertia and already-established processes that makes change difficult and time-consuming.
There can be legitimate reasons for the delayed adoption of new technologies. For example, many companies are leery of investing in unproven technologies. The bright side is that when a corporation is ready to innovate and invest in new technology, the decision-making process is often deliberate and thoughtful.
From our experience, with thousands of companies adopting drone technology, we recommend technology advocates prove the bottom-line impact of any new solution they hope to implement in their organization.
Start With a Small Proof of Concept
Many companies start with a small proof of concept (POC) to discern how new technology will work within their industry. This stage of adoption is critical: this is where solutions will prove their quantifiable ROI and create buy-in from users. A smaller POC is preferable to a wider rollout, as it can also serve as a testing ground where you and your colleagues can decide which features you genuinely need and how it will best integrate within existing workflows.
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Determine the True Value
A new technology may be perfect for your specific job, but to drive widespread adoption, you need to ensure it translates far and wide to colleagues. This is especially true in organizations that require buy-in across multiple business units. Ask yourself before, during, and after the POC – what is the real value we see from this technology? Is it going to be loved by users across the company, or only across small teams? How can we maximize the value of this solution? If there are ways you can automate its use within your existing processes, it will be more seamless for users to get value out of the product.
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Envision the Use Cases – and the Rollout
When you are conducting a POC, try to enlist a diverse set of users to trial the solution, including colleagues across teams but also of different seniority. Poll them not only about how they are using the solution but also on how they imagine leveraging it for various applications. A wide range of use cases will help you envision how the solution will be utilized – often in ways you never imagined. But just as you think about the big picture use cases, it’s equally as important to know what the hiccups will be during rollout. The success and adoption of new technology can be entirely dependent on users’ first-impression during deployment. Identify any integration issues in the POC stage, so you can iron out the wrinkles if and when the solution rolls out to the broader company.
For any new technology solution to be adopted, it has to drive tangible value throughout an organization. It also needs to work seamlessly within the existing processes while garnering enthusiasm among users. If you are a changemaker in your organization – a true innovator – you must understand these aspects before implementing any new technologies.
Are you looking to bring DroneDeploy to your organization? Talk with one of our experts, or, if you're interested in drone technology, download our State of the Drone Market 2020 report.