Technology change the way we work, live our lives, and have amusing. Technology can allow businesses with improvement in productivity, faster development and making cycles, superior decision making by employees, and better customer service. But deriving these benefits from incorporate new technology is not always a smooth process. Technology is often, at first, unruly before it becomes empower.
Although the ideas developed in this article may have general applicability, they are mainly future to relate to the merger of new information and infrastructure technologies into business processes. Information technology involves computers and their peripheral gear as well as the data flow across local area networks. Roads involve any voice and video activity counting the telephone system and related gear as well as the communications pathway creates the wide area networks.
Technology Changes Business Processes
Every action conduct within a business is part of one process or one more. Sometimes the processes are easily distinct and readily clear, as in the path of a purchase order. At other times, the process is not so clear but yet it still exists even if by non-payment.
New technology is introduced into business to:
- Speed up accessible processes
- Extend the capabilities of accessible processes
- Change the processes
In varying the processes, the new technologies will often allow new ways of conduct business that were not previously possible.
Other than simply speeding up accessible processes, new technologies will be unruly when first introduced. This results from having to change patterns of actions and/or relations with others. When commotion occurs, yield often suffers at first, until such time as the new processes become as common as the old ones. At this point, with any luck, the goal has been achieved of success a higher level of output than the level at which it started before the foreword of the new technology.
Therefore a common cycle that occurs with the opening of new technologies includes:
- Disruption
- Lower yield, and, finally,
- A higher plateau of yield than the initial point
The obvious goals for introduce new technologies are to:
- Minimize the commotion
- Minimize the time it takes to increase efficiency
- Maximize the gain in productivity
In achieve these goals it is helpful to understand the:
- Context in which the processes work, that is, who will be impacted by changes in the exact processes affected
- Democratizing potential of technology
- Types of people that will react in very diverse ways to new technologies
The processes by which a company operates and the introduction of new technologies does not exist in separation. Both of these exist within a background that may be a part of and affect:
- The social relations within a group and possibly with companies with whom you conduct business
- biased (power) structures within an group
- How persons view themselves and their abilities
Technology can be democratizing. If it is used to create and circulate information useful to the mission and goals of the business, it can be a great equalizer flanked by “levels” of management and staff. The key word is “circulate.” If access to the information is decentralized, and easy communication of the information is allowed, then “front line” workers can improve the amount and quality of decisions they make without having to involve layers of running.
Types of People from a Technology Perspective
From a viewpoint of introduce new technology into your company, you may find it helpful to understand the following four types of people:
- Innovators/embracers
- Enthusiasts
- Acceptors
- Naysayers
Innovators/embracers will examine new technologies on their own. They will from time to time be helpful to introduce new technologies that would or else not have been known to the company. They will sometimes be a “thorn” in nearly for new technology they think will be useful (or just “neat” to have) but do not fit the company’s agenda or objectives. These people will embrace new technology when introduce by others, will often be the first ones to fully slot in and make use of it, and could help others to fully use new technologies.
Enthusiast will accept new technology eagerly. They won’t usually seek it out but will be eager to slot in it into their processes where proper. As a result of their openness, they will often readily learn how to use the new technology and may also be useful in secondary others through the learning process.
Acceptors will accept new technology because it required. They will not look for it out. In fact, they will often try to avoid it at first until they are forced to believe it. Once they understand the new technology is here to stay, they will willingly learn how to benefit from it or, at slightest, live with it.
Naysayers usually oppose new technologies and often are very vocal about their hostility. They often gripe about any changes and will often never alter if they don’t have to or they quit before they are made to change “the way they do clothes.”
The output vs. time curve will look different for each of these types of people. Think of how each person in your own group fits into these four types. Think of how that impact derives the full benefits that you’ve carefully under attack. Think of how that impacts your ability to discover extra benefits once the technologies are implement. Considerate the differences can help smooth out the uneven spots during and after the execution process.
Lessen the Disruption; Increase the Empowerment
considerate the context in which processes exist, the democratizing potential of technology, and the types of people will help you achieve the goals stated above for a more rapid bribe from a smoother foreword of new technology.
In adding, make the new technologies clear to the user or, at least, make them as innate to operate as possible. Extra time in pre-planning the foreword of new technology and training workers in the use of the technologies can provide a return many times greater than the hours spent in setting up and training. You can achieve earlier increases in productivity, reduced crash on customers, and lower burdens on support staff.
With proper setting up and training, the productivity curve will add to at a faster rate and to a senior level than it might or else have achieved
Ed Mass leader of Mass planned Communications, Inc., a telecommunications consult firm since 1993. Visit and for more information. We specialize in Transforming Telecommunications from a Tactical Tool To a planned Business Resource. We Integrate Business strategy with Technology opportunity.
We act as an adding of your staff. We are business strategists to increase the performance of your company from side to side intelligent and cost efficient use of technology.
Specifically, we ask on IP Telephone System Decisions, Service Provider decision for Voice and Data Services, and Services audit to Inventory All Services and Discover Unused Services. We do all this within a framework of Vendor-Neutral consult.
Copyright 2006 Ed Mass and Mass planned Communications, Inc. All human rights Reserved universal. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you do not correct the article in any way. You must leave all of the links active and comprise the full author name credit with company profile.
