| Technology changes the way we work, live our lives, | | | | Technology can be democratizing. If it is used to |
| and have fun. Technology can empower businesses | | | | create and disseminate information useful to the |
| with improvements in productivity, faster | | | | mission and goals of the business, it can be a great |
| development and production cycles, superior decision | | | | equalizer between "levels" of management and staff. |
| making by employees, and enhanced customer | | | | The key word is "disseminate." If access to the |
| service. But deriving these benefits from incorporating | | | | information is decentralized, and easy communication |
| new technology is not always a smooth process. | | | | of the information is allowed, then "front line" |
| Technology is often, at first, disruptive before it | | | | workers can improve the quantity and quality of |
| becomes empowering. | | | | decisions they make without having to involve layers |
| Although the ideas developed in this article may have | | | | of management. |
| general applicability, they are mainly intended to relate | | | | Types of People from a Technology Perspective |
| to the incorporation of new information and | | | | From a perspective of introducing new technology |
| communications technologies into business processes. | | | | into your company, you may find it helpful to |
| Information technologies involve computers and their | | | | understand the following four types of people: |
| peripheral equipment as well as the data flow across | | | | - Innovators/embracers |
| local area networks. Communications involve any | | | | - Enthusiasts |
| voice and video activity including the telephone | | | | - Acceptors |
| system and related equipment as well as the | | | | - Naysayers |
| communications pathways creating the wide area | | | | Innovators/embracers will investigate new |
| networks. | | | | technologies on their own. They will sometimes be |
| Technology Changes Business Processes | | | | helpful to introducing new technologies that would |
| Every action conducted within a business is part of | | | | otherwise not have been known to the company. |
| one process or another. Sometimes the processes | | | | They will sometimes be a "thorn" in pushing for new |
| are easily defined and readily observable, as in the | | | | technologies they think will be useful (or just "neat" |
| path of a purchase order. At other times, the | | | | to have) but do not fit the company's agenda or |
| process is not so clear but nevertheless it still exists | | | | objectives. These people will embrace new |
| even if by default. | | | | technologies when introduced by others, will often be |
| New technologies are introduced into business to: | | | | the first ones to fully incorporate and make use of it, |
| - Speed up existing processes | | | | and could help others to fully utilize new technologies. |
| - Extend the capabilities of existing processes | | | | Enthusiasts will accept new technology |
| - Change the processes | | | | enthusiastically. They won't usually seek it out but will |
| In changing the processes, the new technologies will | | | | be eager to incorporate it into their processes where |
| often allow new ways of conducting business that | | | | appropriate. As a result of their openness, they will |
| were not previously possible. | | | | often readily learn how to use the new technology |
| Other than simply speeding up existing processes, | | | | and may also be useful in assisting others through the |
| new technologies will be disruptive when first | | | | learning process. |
| introduced. This results from having to change | | | | Acceptors will accept new technology because it is |
| patterns of behavior and/or relationships with others. | | | | required. They will not seek it out. In fact, they will |
| When disruption occurs, productivity often suffers at | | | | often try to avoid it at first until they are forced to |
| first, until such time as the new processes become | | | | accept it. Once they understand the new technology |
| as familiar as the old ones. At this point, hopefully, | | | | is here to stay, they will willingly learn how to benefit |
| the goal has been achieved of reaching a higher level | | | | from it or, at least, live with it. |
| of productivity than the level at which it started | | | | Naysayers habitually oppose new technologies and |
| before the introduction of the new technology. | | | | often are very vocal about their opposition. They |
| Therefore a common cycle that occurs with the | | | | often gripe about any changes and will often never |
| introduction of new technologies includes: | | | | change if they don't have to or they quit before |
| - Disruption | | | | they are made to change "the way they do things." |
| - Lower productivity, and, finally, | | | | The productivity vs. time curve will look different for |
| - A higher plateau of productivity than the starting | | | | each of these types of people. Think of how each |
| point | | | | person in your own organization fits into these four |
| The obvious goals for introducing new technologies | | | | types. Think of how that impacts deriving the full |
| are to: | | | | benefits that you've carefully targeted. Think of how |
| - Minimize the disruption | | | | that impacts your ability to discover additional |
| - Minimize the time it takes to increase productivity | | | | benefits once the technologies are implemented. |
| - Maximize the gain in productivity | | | | Understanding the differences can help smooth out |
| In achieving these goals it is helpful to understand | | | | the rough spots during and after the implementation |
| the: | | | | process. |
| - Context in which the processes operate, that is, | | | | Lessen the Disruption; Increase the Empowerment |
| who will be impacted by changes in the specific | | | | Understanding the context in which processes exist, |
| processes affected | | | | the democratizing potential of technology, and the |
| - Democratizing potential of technology | | | | types of people will help you achieve the goals |
| - Types of people that will react in very different | | | | stated above for a more rapid payoff from a |
| ways to new technologies | | | | smoother introduction of new technologies. |
| The processes by which a company operates and | | | | In addition, make the new technologies transparent |
| the introduction of new technologies do not exist in | | | | to the user or, at least, make them as intuitive to |
| isolation. Both of these exist within a context that | | | | operate as possible. Extra time in pre-planning the |
| may be a part of and affect: | | | | introduction of new technologies and training |
| - The social relationships within an organization and | | | | employees in the use of the technologies can provide |
| possibly with companies with whom you conduct | | | | a return many times greater than the hours spent in |
| business | | | | planning and training. You can achieve faster increases |
| - Political (power) structures within an organization | | | | in productivity, reduced impact on customers, and |
| - How individuals view themselves and their abilities | | | | lower burdens on support staff. |