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Introducing a new tool is an exciting time! You’ve finally found a solution that will help you and your team do great work. But, there’s that lingering little detail of getting your team to adopt the new solution. Where do you start?
From our experience with hundreds of onboarding engagements, customers that approach their LiquidPlanner implementation with an organized plan tend to be the most successful. Think of adopting a new tool like running a project. If you’ve got a plan in place, you’ll have a higher chance of success.
Who Is Leading the Implementation?
Every project needs a project manager and your LiquidPlanner roll-out is no exception. The first step is to identify a strong champion to drive the implementation and act as a mobilizer for the team. Now and in the future, they will be the point-of-contact for all things LiquidPlanner. Having an appointed project manager is key to a successful implementation, and if you’re reading this guide, that person might be you!
Keep in mind, it’s important to have multiple champions to support the implementation project manager. This team of champions can support ongoing usage of LiquidPlanner across the team. You can learn more about this in the next step: Gather Your Success Team.
Preparing for Change
Implementing a new tool within your organisation, and achieving long-term success, requires a change in behavior from all team members. To ensure a positive and successful change experience for your team, make sure incorporate these principles in your implementation plan:
Communicate
When it comes to changing process or workflow, no one likes surprises. Effective change management starts with a communication plan that considers the appropriate timing, and the right person, to deliver new information to the team. In this Implementing LiquidPlanner series, you’ll find some guidance from us on how to craft a solid communication plan.
Motivate
Building the foundation for lasting change starts with addressing the key motivators for your organization and individual team members. Why is LiquidPlanner going to be an important tool for your organization? Your team will also be asking “What’s in it for me?” We’ll walk you through some tips on how to establish effective goals with your Success Team to kick start some ideas on how to motivate your team.
Train
In order to use LiquidPlanner your team will need to be trained on what you need them to do. In this guide you’ll find two resources to prepare your team for Go-Live: the LiquidPlanner Playbook and the Kickoff Team Meeting Presentation. Dedicated time to formally train your team how to use LiquidPlanner before go-live is critical. If you need our support for training, see our Professional Services for more information.
Reinforce
It’s human nature to revert back to our old habits. Just because you’ve trained your team how to use LiquidPlanner, doesn’t mean they will stick with it. Think about how you will reinforce correct usage of LiquidPlanner, and motivate your team to fully adopt the new process(es). It’s important to celebrate wins and make sure to schedule time to check in with your team after go-live to address ongoing questions.
If you take the time to incorporate these change management initiatives, your LiquidPlanner implementation experience will be much more organized and successful. You’ll also get a return on your investment a lot faster. Once your team is up and running with LiquidPlanner, you’ll wonder how you ever managed all of your projects without it!
Ready to get started? Let’s take the next step and gather your Success Team.