Thinking beyond conventional challenges of introducing a new tool

In the tool chain evaluation of a client, I quickly observed some legacy elements which should be replaced with state of the art solutions. While listing these elements I started thinking beyond the conventional challenges of introducing new tools. Aspects such as learning curves, costs of procurement, operations and support were common place and my thoughts gravitated towards the modification of established processes.

I thought of work-life balance, adult education, transforming master minded routines. As I engaged other colleagues into discussing these non-conventional aspects, some unspoken realities were exposed.

People commute to work spending hours on the road to and from their work sites. This has been (and is) detrimentally impacting the work-life balance of many professionals. While most professionals are adjusting to cope with the detrimental impact, there is an unspoken wish that managers, directors and entrepreneurs will provide a favourable break. I later mentioned in a conversation with some decision makers, that work-live balance should be an explicit criterion for tool selection.

A case in point was the tools used in project management. While legacy tools such as office suites (emails, word processors, spreadsheets and powerpoint slides) is serving the client and the youngsters of yesteryears are now managing different corporate portfolios, these situation has created a hurdle in the introduction of state of the art tools for professional project managers.

The managers have developed master minded routines over the years in the usage of those legacy tools and it is easy to deal the double K.O. punches – “State of the art tools are more expensive and their learning curves are relatively high”.

In a series of discussions the insights shared revolved around why adult education is an issue in the introduction of new tools. Most adults in management positions have family commitments and/or socio-communal responsibilities. Adding commuting time to the time required in addressing these commitments and responsibilities, it becomes obvious that there is limited time available to a manager to focus on the learning and mastery of a state of the art tool serving management and directorial roles.

In the discussions we jokingly parted on the note that: “Sometimes it is easy to inspire people by giving them effective and efficient tools, but at other times you will have to give your people toys and time to play with them, before transforming/transiting from toys to tools in the hands of well experimented people”.