Many an IT department has experienced the drag of human obstacles in introducing new technology or keeping existing technology running smoothly. Anticipating the most disruptive forces before they turn into snags can keep things on schedule and minimize problems. Here is our list for the most effective strategies for identifying and dealing with these common personality types.
- The Toe Dragger: Most workers just want to do their job. When the process for doing their job is changed, that moves workers outside of their current comfort zones, forcing them to learn new ways of doing old things. Some fear the learning curve. Others may just not be comfortable with change. One way to engage all of those laggers is to actively involve them in the early phase of design, as well as in voicing opinions with regard to prototypes. When request for input and comment is made, workers are more invested in the change and feelings of disruption are put on the back burner.
- "Danger" is My Middle Name: These tweak geeks, approaching with good intentions of helping you do your job, can stream a continuous list of suggestions and changes that can undermine even the best-planned launches. Establish, publish, post, and distribute clear deadlines for all release dates and enhancements to use as an easy visual to point to when "Danger" comes calling.
- Platform Patriot: You know the guy. He has worked on the same platform for a decade; perhaps even twice that. He knows it backward and forward, pledging allegiance to it daily as he goes about his work. Investing in building such brand loyalty took a lot of time and effort. Changing platforms on this guy might prove challenging, unless you invest in some excellent training on the new platform to bring him up to speed quickly, making him the new guru. For someone really resistant to change, and with a company that decides to continue a long switchover period, patriots can become useful maintenance resources for the old platform, happily addressing issues that arise with those still using it.
- You Want It When?: The unrealistic deadline, armed with an aggressive launch date and compacted design schedule, can really do some damage to an otherwise effective and efficient IT department. Management looks to IT to tell them what is possible and within what time frame. When the timeline is too short, make sure to detail possible consequences of launching something that is a few bricks short of a load. If management understands the risk, and accepts the possibility of failure due to a short timeline, and still demands a rush job, make sure to inform them you intend to enlist your top crew and put them on overtime in order to achieve their demand. Management hates overtime. I'll bet you can come to a compromise.
- I Did It My Way: Some users, no matter how easy a solution is to a problem, will disregard advice from the IT department. In my view, as an employee that would be shooting yourself in the foot. IT can be a lifeline in terms getting things to work. Or not. But seriously, if someone disregards expert IT advice, the best you can do is to remind them, when you end up having to go fix something on their machine because they have done their own thing, that the IT department is there to develop ways to avoid such problems by providing sound advice with proven results. Said another way: Prevention is easier than a cure.
- I Don't Need No Stinkin' Training!: Some workers feel they know it all. Or think they are savvy enough to figure out how to use the parts of a program they need, and do not want to undergo additional training. An engaging, intelligent, well-written training program can engage even the most jaded office rats. Think Virgin Air in their effort to make the mundane seat belt and exit door speech interesting with hilarious stick figures. Spice up the manuals with cartoons, graphics, or quotes. And if all else fails, bring donuts.
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