The human factor in technological innovation projects: When a good delivery isn’t enough

“There are only three types of people: those who want to make things happen, those who look at things that have happened and those who wonder: what happened?” – Zig Ziglar

The famous phrase of the American writer Ziglar clearly classifies human reactions in relation to transformation. Observing what happens in companies, it is clear how these attitudes emerge precisely in these “changing phases”.

But what is the best way to govern the transformation in companies and ensure objectives are achieved? To address the issue of transformation in companies and their management (Change Management), we examine some of the main features of innovation: speed and repetitiveness.

The speed and repetitiveness of innovation projects are critical elements for the Human Factor

Today processes are inescapable and in continuous motion and users have little time to manage and get used to change. Furthermore, innovation cycles follow one another without stopping thus making repetition a critical factor for the innovation of new processes and technologies.

In this context, it’s difficult for people to metabolize the new mechanisms introduced and, in the face of everything that embraces a technological innovation project, it’s necessary to take note of many factors and act in a precise manner.

Human factor management in Change Management

The key to the success of a technological innovation project is to first understand the needs of the people involved and listen to their objectives. The job role of the person, their gender, age and character all have an impact on how they manage change. It is therefore important to analyze the approach and the adaptation to the different attributes of the players involved. An innovation project is only successful when the users have adopted it successfully.

In addition to transformation, innovation will have to build something completely new through personalization. This personalized approach helps support the most extensive innovation project and makes work more productive even after the project has been completed.

Faced with the management of a technological transformation project, there are three points to keep in mind and implement:

• Change can and must be managed. For this reason, it is necessary to invest in dedicated economic and human resources.
• Study and deepen the ecosystem – especially human – through an initial assessment.
• Create a tailor-made project to manage the change that goes to support and interact with that of technological innovation.

Interested in learning more about Change Management? Stay Tuned, the next in-depth posts on the subject are coming!