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Software Culture Shock: When New Application Adoption Fails
The huge hidden cost of software implementation
The scenario is sadly common. After extensive research, testing, and comparison shopping, a company decides on a new enterprise-level software implementation. It will be a game-changer once they are past the initial cost, time, and resources involved in bringing it onboard. It will change, on a fundamental basis, the way core internal processes are done, managed, and enhanced. A game-changer, easily worth the six figure, or more, investment; once they are past the three month implementation period.
Or, it fails.
Was it the wrong choice? Was the job botched or the training and support inadequate? Was it simply a matter of underestimating time and resources required? It could be any of the above. Or it could be underestimating cultural barriers to adoption.
Human beings will fiercely defend the familiar, the status quo, the way things have always been done. It’s our nature. The failure to understand the depth of this as a blocker to new technology adoption is a common cause for failure, missed deadlines, and wildly underestimated costs. You can’t ignore the existing culture.
In fact, you should probably start with the culture, the way things are done, and the people…