Harnessing the Potential of Your ESM/ITSM System
It’s a given that organizations continually seek new tools to enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and elevate user experiences, hence it’s a no-brainer when they adopt new ESM/ITSM systems.
But even the most powerful systems are only as effective as the users who wield them. Studies have shown that a mere 30% of digital transformation projects manage to achieve their objectives, with one of the key factors being poor user adoption or lack of effective training. ESM/ITSM implementation isn’t exempt from this risk. So, to increase adoption success, here are some user training strategies to consider.
1. Know Thy Users: Mapping Out Training Needs
Determine proficiency levels: Whether they’re seasoned IT veterans or fresh-faced recruits, understanding users’ proficiency levels is crucial for tailoring training content that meets them where they are. Utilize surveys, interviews, and skill assessment tools to chart the course ahead.
Identify the key players: From frontline support staff to system administrators, ensure that you chart their individual training paths. By aligning training content with specific roles and responsibilities, each person can receive the tools they need to shine in their respective roles.
Set clear objectives: To ensure smooth navigation, set sail with a roadmap of clear training objectives that guide your team towards mastery of your chosen ESM/ITSM system. Whether it’s increasing incident resolution efficiency, optimizing change management processes, or enhancing user satisfaction, defining these objectives will provide the guiding star your team needs.
2. Craft Your Training Adventure: Tailored Content Creation
Customize, not standardize: Gone are the days of generic, one-size-fits-all training programs. To truly empower your team, you must embrace the power of customization. Tailor your training modules to the specific needs and skill levels of each individual, providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in their roles.
Highlight use cases: To help your users get a better understanding of your new ESM/ITSM system, it’s essential to provide them with real-life scenarios that mimic the complexities of their daily tasks. From simulated service desk calls to mock incident response scenarios, incorporating real-life challenges into your training regimen ensures that your team is battle-ready when the time comes to put their skills to the test. Likewise, you can provide examples to end-users of what they can use the system for, such as submitting service requests or looking up commonly known issues on the knowledge base.
3. Level Up with a Phased Approach: Rolling Out Your ESM/ITSM System
Create the blueprint for your rollout: One of the key reasons for poor user adoption is that when there’s a significant change, users can be easily overwhelmed. Break down the implementation into manageable stages. Identify key milestones, timelines, and dependencies to ensure a structured and organized deployment. Engage stakeholders from different departments to align goals and expectations, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Test the waters: Before diving headfirst into a full-scale implementation, test the waters with a pilot phase. Select a small, representative group of users to test the system in a controlled environment. This allows you to identify any potential issues, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments before the wider rollout. The pilot phase serves as a valuable opportunity to fine-tune the system, identify needs for additional training, and address any concerns, ensuring a smoother transition for the entire organization.
Roll out in waves: With insights gained from the pilot phase, proceed with a gradual deployment, rolling out the system in waves. For example, you can start with a single department or team, allowing them to adapt and become proficient with the new system before moving on to the next group. The approach you take will largely depend on what best suits your organization’s needs, as well as its appetite for change. Generally, this staggered approach minimizes disruption and provides an opportunity for continuous feedback and improvements.
4. Keep the Momentum Going: Continuous Learning & Support
Implement ongoing programs: Every user would interact with your system at varying degrees. For example, while your service desk team will be using it regularly, an employee might only need to use it once in a while when they need to report an issue or request a service. Establish ongoing training programs that suit either scenario. Whether it’s regular workshops, on-demand webinars, or video tutorials, ensure that there are resources users can refer to so they can refresh their knowledge of how best to use your ESM/ITSM system.
Ensure documentation and resources are easily accessible: Provide your team with easy access to comprehensive documentation, training materials, and knowledge bases that serve as their compass in navigating the ESM/ITSM system. Ensure that these resources are up-to-date, organized, and readily available whenever and wherever they’re needed, empowering your team to find the answers they seek and overcome any obstacle they encounter.
5. From Novice to Ninja: Feedback and Evaluation
Gather user stories and feedback: Like any system rollout, ESM/ITSM implementation is not a set-and-forget activity but is an ongoing journey requiring collaborative effort from the whole organization. Encourage users to share their stories on their experience with the new system, highlighting moments of success, areas for improvement, and suggestions for future enhancements. This way, you’ll gain valuable perspectives that inform and enrich your implementation strategy, enabling you to improve training strategies and increase the adoption rate.
Measure success with metrics: Develop a scorecard of key performance metrics and surveys to track user adoption. From increased incident resolution times to higher user satisfaction scores, these metrics provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your training efforts. Regularly gather feedback from users through surveys and assessments, allowing you to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
SOURCE: Stephane Maes. (2024, Jul 17). 5 BEST USER TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR YOUR NEW ESM/ITSM SYSTEM. IFS Blog. https://blog.ifs.com/2024/07/5-best-user-training-strategies-for-your-new-esm-itsm-system/
