{"id":14081,"date":"2022-12-19T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walkme.com\/blog\/?p=14081"},"modified":"2022-12-19T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T10:00:00","slug":"building-a-leading-dap-operation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walkme.com\/blog\/building-a-leading-dap-operation\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a leading DAP operation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Picture this: You\u2019re a (really good) project manager \u2013 maybe in L&D, communications, HR, or IT. You are so good, in fact, that your boss just asked you<\/em> to help lead an exciting new initiative called \u201cdigital adoption<\/a>\u201d that will help the organization improve efficiency, finally make your users self-sufficient, reduce training and operational costs, AND give users the modern experience they\u2019ve been begging for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds like a good career opportunity \u2013 and it is! But, in order to do it right, you\u2019re going to need some pointers on how to build an effective digital adoption platform<\/a> (DAP<\/a>) program. As someone with experience building digital adoption programs and teams, often as a team of one, I\u2019ll share with you some things I wish I knew before getting started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will provide you with five tips and a bundle of resources that you can use starting right now<\/em> to help grow your program\u2019s demand and reputation, regardless of headcount, location, or experience. If this sounds good, read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing is believing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that around 65% of the population are visual-based learners<\/a> or that it takes our brain less than 13 milliseconds to process an image<\/a> (Trafton, 2014)? Our time is valuable and attention spans are short. So, by making your DAP discussions visual, you\u2019ll be doing everyone a favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of what we do is on-screen in nature, so whenever you can, create a demo or mockup of your concept instead of just explaining how it works. Cutting right to the chase with stakeholders in a visual way gets them involved in the art of the possible. Do this early and do this often!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip #1<\/strong>: Remember that people are generally afraid of what they don\u2019t understand. Nip that in the bud with visual aids. When they see it, they almost always understand. When they understand it, they\u2019re not afraid. When the fear is gone, they can collaborate\u2013and that is a sure-fire way to build trust and increase the demand for your work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen more than you speak<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We all have a voice inside our head that just wants to be heard. It\u2019s natural for most of us to want to speak, especially when we have expertise in something. But when I\u2019m on a call, and information is flying in fast, I often miss something critical. Why? Because I\u2019m hearing, but not truly listening. It is almost impossible for us to simultaneously listen to what someone is saying while our inner monologue is trying to suss out what it wants to say next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As DAP professionals, the platforms and processes we build on are complicated, and some very important details will inevitably be missed if all you\u2019re doing is thinking of your next words. I promise you that better listening today will improve your outcomes tomorrow, and solidify the trust you work so hard to build with your stakeholders. The more you listen to your stakeholders, the more likely you are to uncover new areas where DAP can help solve problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip #2<\/strong>: This requires practice; but, when you hear that little voice inside your head trying to barge to the front of the line, try this instead: turn the volume up on your device, close your eyes (not recommended while driving), and focus all of your presence on what\u2019s being said. You\u2019ll thank yourself, because if you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ll likely start to see how you fall back on talking just for the sake of sounding authoritative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to throw things in the trash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ever do something nice for someone and it feels good? That feeling is actually easily explained by science<\/a> (Pell, 2021). When we help others, oxytocin is produced in our brains, which triggers the release of something called nitric oxide which reduces blood pressure. When someone asks me, \u201cCan we solve X using DAP?\u201d, the answer is probably yes, and I\u2019m compelled to help out because I enjoy it. But, should<\/em> we use it to solve everything? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My experience says no. We all know how powerful the DAP toolset is, and most of us get enjoyment out of helping others, but not everything belongs on your or your team\u2019s plate. Some of the scenarios where I\u2019ve seen this come up are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n