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With remote and hybrid work here to stay, technology is the lynchpin of how organizations operate daily. This makes technology transitions mission-critical.
McKinsey research shows that nearly 70% of complex, large-scale change programs fail, and technology is no exception. The challenges from employee engagement to collaboration across departments are many, so any technology transition needs to be carefully planned and managed to ensure success.
Here’s a deeper look at some of the top challenges that organizations face with digital transformation, along with potential solutions.
#1
Gap in Technical Expertise
Any technology transition requires technical expertise in both the old and new solutions. Most new technologies come with a learning curve, and IT teams often lack the expertise to facilitate a seamless transition.
Overcoming the learning curve can add months to the project, which can be a problem when stakeholders are invested in a quick and smooth transition. When the pressure is on to start driving business results from tech investments, that lag time can be the make or break in the boardroom.
#2
Change Management is Lacking
Transitioning to new technology does not happen overnight. It is not simply flipping one switch on and another off. A technology transition involves managing communication with those affected by the change, staff training, orchestration of downtime, Careful movement of data or equipment, and more.
In short, a successful transition requires project and change management skills. IT departments often underestimate the management needed to facilitate a smooth technology transition because of a lack of experience or pressure to transition quickly.
Technology transition projects require strong change and project management, including weekly updates, buy-in from stakeholders, and a top-down approach that anticipates how the transition will affect every aspect of the organization.
#3
No Room in The Budget
Businesses often transition to new technology with the promise that the transition will result in lower operational costs and increased efficiency.
Despite these promises, businesses with high current operational costs often don’t devote adequate budgets to technology transitions. The result is less than optimal business results and frustrated users, which impacts overall operations.
#4
Limited IT Resources
IT teams are limited by one thing only — time. Every successful transition project requires a lot of time and attention.
IT teams must constantly divert their attention to handling “fires” that pop up and are unlikely to have the time and attention needed for the project.
Most tech transition projects have an enormous scope and even longer timelines, making it easy for teams to prioritize short-term “quick” fixes that pop up daily. These minor distractions snowball and delay a project or even lead to its abandonment.
#5
Resistance to Transition
Most people are resistant to change of any kind, but technological changes seem to elicit extreme resistance. Although team members themselves may be frustrated with their current technology, there’s often a perception that learning new technology will be more trouble than it’s worth.
For managers and leaders who don’t see team members’ daily frustrations with current technology, the need to transition to new technology may not be immediately apparent, especially once it’s clear how many resources go into any transition project.
#6
Remote Teams
Remote work magnifies the complexities of these projects. As teams are in multiple places, managing the project can be challenging.
For example, training teams in the new technology, implementing the solution across all devices and endpoints and communicating the need for the transition become more challenging.
Tech transition management can help your team overcome these challenges and speed up your timeline.
How Technology Transition Management Can Accelerate Your Timeline
Technology transition management is a fully managed service that acts as the project manager for every stage of the process.
It enables you to offload the burden of the transition, so your IT team can focus on their core competencies. A professional transition management team looks at how the proposed transition impacts every aspect of your organization and plans for a smooth technology rollout.
With our services you can cut through the red tape of switching over services and be better poised to train your team. This fully managed service is especially effective in large-scale technology transitions like UCaaS and CX implementations.
Bridgepointe has helped Fortune 500 companies accelerate their technology transition projects by two to four months.
Talk to an expert to learn more about how we can help with your next tech transition.