The pandemic has accelerated new ways of working and tech adoption and it’s clear that for many businesses, remote working (or at least a blend of working locations) will become the norm. In order for such plans to be successful, workers need the right software.
The right software, however, is one that is useful and used by employees. Otherwise it’s just a bad investment. What’s the point in investing in new tech if it fails to train its users effectively to use it productively?
The introduction of new technological tools and solutions is going hand-in-hand with a rapid evolution of business roles and remits. This makes the need for new skills more relevant than ever and the effective upskilling of employees is a key requirement in staying competitive in today’s market.
There may be a level of resistance to change in any business – it’s human nature. To overcome this employers need to embrace smart tech that upskills ‘by stealth’, through successful learnability.
Project management software is the essential engine that powers projects along effectively. But it’s essential that the software is used correctly in order for it to be of value.
Digital tools should offer a good UX
For example, if a manager needs to understand how the project or business is progressing and wants to gain accurate data for forecasting, employees need to use the company’s software frequently.
A big driver for such regular engagement is the user experience, or UX. People are happy to use software if it’s a pleasant experience – and when they also learn skills through the product and it helps them achieve their goals, it’s a bonus.
Good UX can be accomplished in a number of ways – you can gamify the experience, via daily walkthroughs and tips to ensure the tech is being utilised to its full extent, for example While the adaptability of a new piece of software is may rank low on your list of criteria, successful adoption and utilisation really does depend on the importance of proper thought out learning.
Fostering curiosity and enjoyment drives engagement, and that is a formula to keep at the top of any shopping list when it comes to new tech implementation.
With the above in mind, how can businesses ensure that they are investing in the correct software and platforms that will drive engagement and effective upskilling among their employees? How exactly does learnability come into play within tech to contribute towards achieving this?
When it comes to choosing the right platform or software for your business, learnability as a criteria or function needs to rank highly in the shopping list of functions and features if you want to ensure an effective adoption and implementation amongst employees.
Good and the bad functionality
Good UX design usually follows the ‘iceberg approach’ where a simple interface is initially made available to users, hiding the more complex functions until a user is more proficient.
The learning curve has to be balanced just right, as a platform that is too complex to grasp right away risks alienating and losing that user.
As users become familiarised with the platform, more complex features can be introduced in order to match function with skill progression, to keep the platform fresh, rewarding, and entertaining to use as well as an effective tool to learn on.
One of the best examples is Trello – it has racked up 4.75 million users in two years, simply because it is easy to learn and use.
An example of what to avoid in project management software UX is difficult time registration systems, which can make people register less accurate time data because it’s tiresome and time consuming to do. Additionally, an effective user interface should not be too clunky or cumbersome, taking up too much screen real estate.
Properly organised tools and softwares should naturally place different sets of functions on different pages, in order to not overwhelm, and not clutter the experience. You want your users to spend time on your new platform so they can make the most of its functions.
If a software is too cluttered, using it becomes more of a hindrance than anything, which goes completely against the point of its acquisition.
Ultimately, bad UX and learnability can make or break how widely and effectively adopted a piece of software becomes. Make this a priority alongside features and pricing, when seeking out new platforms and software to facilitate the digitalision of your workflow and processes.
Jacob de Lichtenberg is chief product officer at Forecast
