by Caroline Badoud (ERNI Switzerland)
The success of digitalisation projects depends not only on technology but also on end user acceptance, especially when users are less tech-savvy. Feeling unheard causes frustration, but it is never too late to bridge the gap between users and IT, even in later development stages.
When IT feels out of reach
Technically, development teams might have built a solid IT application. But there will still be this one challenge: in case the end users are resistant to adopting the new system, the finalisation of the project might leave a bad taste in developers’ mouths. Bridging the gap between IT and end users is essential for a success story. It represents one of the main focuses of a requirements engineer.
In this article, I’m focusing on bringing IT teams and end users together, especially during the delicate phase of deploying a digitalisation system. This is the crucial phase where users start adopting the new system and start integrating it into their daily business. The users start loving the system or hating it. I’m convinced that it is never too late to close an existing gap between certain users and IT, even at later stages of development. Nevertheless, the positive adoption of a new system requires a structured approach to include everyone and make IT easily understandable. It requires a collaborative mindset of the development team, as well as appropriate planning, to ensure a smooth rollout for every user. In this article, I share insights on how a potential gap between users and IT can be closed – with minimal effort, cost and resistance.
How to facilitate end user acceptance, even at a later stage of development
The approach lies in creating a culture of mutual respect and continuous dialogue. Personally, I approach projects with a focus on building trust, understanding business needs as deeply as possible and developing solutions together with the users – not just for them. Organise focus group dialogues to identify potential concerns. Based on these insights, a tailored set of measures can be defined. I am convinced that the following six steps can significantly contribute to bridging the gap between end users and IT.
1. Raising engagement, onsite, while keeping groups small
Building trust starts the moment you show up in person where the users are located. Whether it is on a
production floor, in logistics or else where, IT teams need to meet users at their actual workplace. That can
also mean gearing up in a safe manner and stepping out to where the IT system will later be used. Physical presence shows true interest in users’ daily reality. Engage the users of the application in conversation in focus groups. Try to keep the number of participants small. In fact, the users will be more likely to participate actively, start dialoguing, ask questions and feel engaged in a small group. It is the best way to grasp workflows, concerns and pain points first-hand far beyond remote calls or ticketing systems.
2. Speak the user’s language
Specifically for multi-language applications, it is a big challenge to include every end user. No user should feel excluded just because he or she doesn’t speak the same language as the development team. This exclusion leads to user frustration and possibly to resistance against the new system. Whenever possible, we recommend having a consultant on your side who is multilingual and an IT specialist; it can enormously improve user satisfaction and motivation. It’s not only about the spoken language but also the vocabulary used. Technical teams frequently underestimate what effects their vocabulary may have. IT jargon can be overwhelming if the end users are not tech-savvy. My motto is: clarity connects. Complexity does the opposite – it tries to impress. And that for sure is not the main goal of good communication. Using the same terms and concepts that users are familiar with helps to create a shared understanding. It signals that you’re on the same level, not speaking from far away. This doesn’t mean ‘dumbing things down’ – it means choosing empathy over ego.
3. Trainings tailored to user needs
It is obvious that the best training approach for users is to conduct practical, hands-on sessions where users start interacting with the live system early on. This practical approach boosts motivation and comprehension by focusing on real use cases. But the success does not lie only with the content of the training; its schedule is also important. Often, training and rollout schedules are determined by IT, without fully taking users’ operational constraints into account. Involving the groups of users in scheduling the rollout according to their readiness fosters goodwill and accelerates adoption, creating a user-centred and flexible implementation process.
4. A smooth rollout instead of a Big Bang
Performance and load tests of the IT system are probably the most challenging to simulate in a development environment; sometimes, the practical experience in live operation is different from the simulation. No developer wants to experience a system overload in production. The recommended approach is a gradual rollout, adding users incrementally week by week. This allows close monitoring of system performance and proactive handling of issues. Early adopters help identify bugs so that by the time more hesitant users join, the system runs smoothly, and adoption proceeds with minimal disruption.
5. Make ‘operations’ an integral part of the development team
Often, developers prefer developing new features rather than maintaining an existing system. As a facilitator, you should encourage your development team to love user feedback from operations. Make feedback from the users visible, organise a regular operations meeting within the team, prioritise the feedback and let it flow into the development plan. Ensure that each development ticket includes steps for testing, user documentation or communication. Over time, this approach not only improves system stability but also helps teams see the value of user input, fostering a collaborative mindset.
6. Maintain close collaboration after the rollout
The work doesn’t end once the system goes live – in fact, that’s often when the most valuable dialogue
begins. Make it a priority to maintain strong collaboration over time by holding regular user meetings where experiences can be shared openly. Users talk about what’s working and where challenges remain, while the development team presents current and upcoming features and actively seeks feedback. It is especially effective to involve enthusiastic users as pioneers, giving them recognition and a voice in shaping future improvements. This ongoing engagement builds a sense of ownership, helps developers understand the ‘why’ behind requests, and turns users into ambassadors for the system. The pioneer users become motivators for the potentially more hesitant colleagues in their team.
Conclusion
Mainly through these six simple measures, the possibility of a divide between IT teams and end users can be reduced – leading to higher satisfaction and stronger system adoption. Repeatedly, I’ve learned
that trust and open communication establish the foundation of any successful project. When users feel
seen, heard and genuinely involved, they are far more likely to embrace and support the end result.
This might sound self-evident, but in practice, it takes consistent effort, planning and commitment
from everyone involved. By fostering such an environment, users become motivated partners in digital
transformation, laying a strong foundation for future innovation within organisations.
