People vs. Technology: It’s a matter of perspective

Sometimes, I find myself thinking back to my previous life in the public sector and the challenges and decisions I faced when it came to technology.  Today, as someone on the “other side of the fence,” I find it especially insightful to reflect on my past from the perspective of a technology analyst and consultant.

Perhaps you know the situation. Your organization has a process that is broken, or at the minimum dysfunctional.  It could be the result of an outdated or unsupported computer application that is no longer viable:

“Gee, I guess maybe having that Intern write our Asset Management database app in Paradox wasn’t such a great idea.”  

Or maybe it’s something even more challenging and dynamic – personalities impacting the success or failure of the process:

                “Joe, I assure you the computer will not read your thoughts… yet.”

A natural, logical, and common course of action when facing these situations is to investigate a new technology solution to either replace the ailing one already in place, or guide staff to a more efficient process.

Enter the software consultant. 

One of the first questions out of your consultant’s mouth will be, “How do you want it to work?” 

Simple enough, right?!  You want it to work like your existing system or you want it to make your current work flows and processes more efficient. 

At this point, the mindful consultant begins a discovery process or needs assessment to determine what the existing systems, processes, and work flows actually accomplish. 

Upon completion, when the consultant has a good lay of the land, the mental calculations begin.  Observations like, “Their process is broken,” or “Their existing software solution mimics and encourages their broken process,” rattles through and challenges his or her consultative mind. 

But what to do?

The unscrupulous consultant might lean forward and say, “Let’s get to work!” After all, they say if you're not a part of a decent solution, there’s money to be made by prolonging the problem.

On the other hand, the conscientious consultant answers logically and intelligently:

 “What we need to do first is fix your process.  We can accomplish that through staff re-training and process change supported by a software application that enforces that process.” 

But this isn’t usually the answer organizations want to hear. Personnel issues are always messy, and many agencies will avoid them at all costs.

From personal experience, I know dealing with the underlying broken process is easier said than done.  I’ve seen teams engage with consultants for the sole purpose of showing initiative and progress toward fixing a broken process. But in those same scenarios, the solution could have been produced by a simple HR / Management intervention where certain employees were told to get with the new program.

When adding new technology to address process issues, success is largely dependent on some type of compromise. Your organization isn’t going to suddenly clean house of so-called problem employees. Yet, at the same time, expecting a software solution to magically fix years’ worth of dysfunction is unrealistic, especially when the application is designed in a fashion to accommodate your existing processes.

My advice, keep an open mind (and ear) to what your consultant suggests.  He or she usually has a wealth of experience dealing with organizations like yours that are facing the same problems.  

Find a consultant you trust. Try the processes, workflows, and applications he or she suggests. Getting initial buy-in from your staff might be difficult, so appoint your system champions early-on and lean on them to lead by example.

Dealing with process change is never easy. But throwing technology at a problem and waiting for magic to happen is absurd.

While it’s far more challenging, the approaches aimed at fixing the process first — with or without the assistance of a consultant — will always generate the best results.

We all know that the end goal for any company is to make money.  But at the end of the day, it’s the intelligent company that realizes it’s much better to make money and have a story of success with its clients, than to cut and run.

And while it might be a tough love message we deliver, we do want you as an organization to succeed — and bring us along for the ride.