Performance Matters - Digital Experiences - 19

PERFORMANCE MATTERS / PG 19
TECHNOLOGY AND
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
An organization's culture reflects the collective behaviors
of its people. Culture and technology have a complex,
codependent relationship. New technology requires people
to adopt new behaviors to sustain the realized benefits of
the technology change. The cultural impact of technological
change is dynamic and shaped by human behavior, politics,
and economic determinants. For example, during the
Industrial Revolution, technology such as the printing press
and steam engine enabled the radical restructuring of
Western societies and culture.
Whether within society or an organization, successful
adoption of new technology requires a supportive culture.
In a supportive culture:
1
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There is awareness of a particular
problem or need for change.
There is willingness to make space
for new ways of working or living.
Leaders support and encourage the new
behaviors that the technology change requires.
Organizations that value learning, collaboration, and
vulnerability experience profoundly more rewarding
outcomes compared to cultures that allow blaming or evoke
fear. In essence, technology enables culture and culture
enables the invention and use of technology.
POTENTIAL AND
PERFORMANCE
Acquiring new knowledge or skills is different than actually
performing the new skill when needed.
This has implications for measuring readiness and adoption
of new technology. Readiness is about potential and
adoption is about performance. Most user readiness
checklists focus on training metrics such as completion
scores or number of modules attempted. Yet, users'
knowledge and ability to use technology is not the primary
indicator of readiness. It is part of the recipe but not the
whole enchilada. User readiness includes attitude,
satisfaction, intention, willingness to change behavior, and
perception of the technology.
To evaluate the likelihood of adoption, incorporate
appropriate readiness indicators that reveal whether users
are motivated and willing to use the technology. As humans,
we tend to perform when we decide or set our intention to
do so. According to human psychology, the potential for user
performance is substantially favorable if the following is true:
* Users' self-efficacy is high (they feel confident in their
ability to perform as needed).
* Users perceive technology as easy to use.
* Users believe the benefits outweigh the effort to
perform.
* Users are satisfied that performance will improve
or mitigate a current problem or challenge.
* Users' perception of risk or harm is considered
low or acceptable.
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Performance Matters - Digital Experiences

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