Technology trends wax and wane like the moon’s cycles around Earth.

Some stay for the longer term, disrupting the world entirely – the internet, social media, GenAI – and others fade into the night sky like a shooting star – ISIS the mobile wallet, JooJoo, Google Glass (The Verge 2019).

If Australia believes that by 2030 all businesses will be digital businesses (Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 2022) significant technology change needs to occur in our economy.

How does an organisation determine if they need to adopt a trend, or watch how it unfolds on a greater scale?

Looking to Leavitt’s People Process Technology model (Simon 2019) organisations and the C-suite can balance the decision-making process.

Adopting a trend hastily may result in overlooking critical elements that affect internal and external stakeholders. When viewed in isolation, one aspect may not be a major problem for the customer, or internal stakeholder. However when combined, it can become a larger change management failure.

Even with the most advanced widget, you can’t reach your business goals unless you’ve evaluated, implemented and adopted the technology sufficiently.

Some questions to ask before commencing a technological change project might include…

People

• What effects does this change have on the people within the organisation?
• How can I identify the skills, knowledge, experience, and capabilities needed?
• What training and support will support our people to navigate change?
• How do we build a culture that embraces change?
• In what ways do we need to manage the time and energy of our people?

Process

• What processes, internal and customer-facing, need to be developed or adapted if the change is implemented?
• How quickly do you need each task executed?
• What are the minimum requirements your tasks need to be considered successful?
• How will the team communicate? What is the change communication strategy?
• How should work be divided across your team to ensure project continuity?
• What process mapping tools will you use?
• How will you onboard and train your team on these new processes? 
• How will you collect feedback and iterate on processes to improve them? 
• How will you provide continuous employee performance support related to these new processes?

Technology

Evaluation:

• Engage with stakeholders to decide on the business objectives that need to be met and conduct a needs analysis outlining the requirements of your technology solution.

• Evaluate vendors carefully based on these criteria to the solution can adapt to how your organisation works and what it needs to achieve.

Implementation:

• Build a software implementation plan that clearly defines timelines, goals, processes, and resources required to integrate new technology into existing work. 
• Operationalise your workflow to streamline technology integration efforts and set a foundation for repeatable success. 

Adoption:

• Invest in creating user experiences, in-app guidance, and self-help user support that helps stakeholders find value in the investment.

Case Study

In a past technology change project at Earth & Soul Pizza, the need to consider people above process or technology was glaringly obvious, but only in hindsight. 

Through the change process, the organisation discovered the importance of examining a problem, and the people impacted, before ideas are initiated.

In future, research and insights could help decision-makers explore all options available. This would ensure a solution is designed with all stakeholders at the heart of the problem, and is grounded in evidence.

A value-driven approach to technology change within an organisation can yield positive results for all stakeholders. 

In an article by Bossert et al (2024), four guides for determining a trend’s relevance deepen the legitimacy of Leavitt’s people process technology model. 

When thorough stakeholder mapping is combined with these value-driven parameters, it becomes a robust needs analysis for trending technology. 

• Disruptive business value: The trend can result in measurable value to the business.
• Independence: The trend allows the organisation to work in smaller, more independent units.
• Connectivity: The trend reduces friction in the organisation’s connectivity.
• Extensibility: The trend can broadly shape and improve the organisation’s technology and management practices.

As Bossert et al notes (2024), for a trend to be worthy of consideration, the more of these value offerings applied to the project the better. 

Whether your organisation is a first mover, fast follower, slow-adopter or non-partaker, a rigorous assessment of the value the trend will offer all stakeholders is the key to successful implementation. 

What are your thoughts on rapid adoption of technology trends without a strong business case? Share in the comments below. 

References:

The Verge (2019) The 84 biggest flops, fails and dead dreams of the decade in tech, The Verge website, accessed 23 March 2024. https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/20/21029499/decade-fails-flops-tech-science-culture-apple-google-data-kickstarter-2010-2019 

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2022) Digital Economy Strategy 2022 Update Released, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website, accessed 23 March 2024. https://www.pmc.gov.au/news/digital-economy-strategy-2022-update-released

Simon B (2019) Everything You Need to Know about the People, Process, Technology Framework, Smartsheet website, accessed 6 December 2022. https://www.smartsheet.com/content/people-process-technology

Bossert O et al (2024) False friends or good ends? The CIO’s four-point guide to navigating technology trends, Capabilities, McKinsey Digital, Our Insights, McKinsey Digital website, accessed 23 March 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/false-friends-or-good-ends-the-cios-four-point-guide-to-navigating-technology-trends

Holtshausen G (n.d.) Photo by Graham Holtshausen on Unsplash, Unsplash website, accessed 23 March 2024. https://unsplash.com/photos/milky-way-galaxy-wallpaper-fUnfEz3VLv4