Intro to Digital Adoption Centers of Excellence (CoE)
Brief Overview
To achieve maximum value from a Digital Adoption Platform, companies should transition from a project-by-project mindset to a programmatic approach. A programmatic approach embeds Digital Adoption into your company's infrastructure and keeps stakeholders accountable to consistent, repeatable standards that evolve with the program's maturity.
Operational excellence in the digital adoption space is the ability to execute a digital adoption strategy consistently and cohesively throughout the business. A programmatic approach anchored in operational excellence is the key to scale.
For some companies, this means creating a Center of Excellence (CoE) or Community of Practice (CoP).
The Digital Adoption Maturity Journey
Companies typically start by purchasing a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) for a single set of business processes (a “point solution” approach). As the point solution starts providing positive benefits, this singular purchase evolves into a digital adoption strategy across multiple software applications, departments, and even enterprise-wide.
Tools such as the Digital Adoption Maturity Matrix can evaluate the effectiveness of your approach as you scale.
The Business Case for a DAP CoE
Though achieving Operational Excellence multi-year initiative, you will start to realize the benefits almost immediately. This is the foundation of your business case.
Maximized resource utilization - Economies of scale reduce repetitive tasks and strengthen cost accountability
Optimized end-user experience - Champions a consistent end-user experience in the consumption of digital adoption content and incorporation of feedback
Empowered Digital Adoption Professionals - Sets clear expectations for team roles and responsibilities and helps the business case to expand digital adoption team
Accelerated journey to Best in Class - Improves maturity on the Digital Adoption Maturity Matrix and gives you a competitive edge
Common Pitfalls When Developing a CoE
The following are common pitfalls to be aware of as you move into a programmatic approach. Not addressing these will create inefficiencies in resource utilization and inhibit your ability to show strategic and operational business impact.
Where Should a CoE Sit?
Important: A Digital Adoption Platform is a critical tool in a suite of solutions that drive a cohesive approach to digital transformation.
Your company might choose to create a Digital Adoption Platform CoE (DAP CoE) - or may consider embedding DAP within an already-functioning program, such as a Change Management CoE (CMCoE) or a Product CoE with a toolkit of other innovative technologies (e.g. RPA).
To house a Center of Excellence for an innovative technology like a Digital Adoption Platform, a department should be strong in the following:
A Digital Adoption Platform at its highest potential is coupled with a systematic, proactive, and embedded approach to change management. A department may have -
- Responsibility for discovery activities such as user journey maps, personas, and change impact assessments (Directly useful to how WalkMe can be applied as a solution)
- A Change Practitioner role (Can operate as a WalkMe Program Manager or WalkMe Delivery Lead)
Read more about change management maturity here.
Established channels for communication ensures strategic, tactical, and technical WalkMe knowledge does not become siloed. A department may have -
- Documented and strong adoption of Knowledge Management (KM) policies
- Leadership with strong relationships in Learning & Development, UX, Technical Writing, Design, IT, and CS teams
Proven rigor in prioritization and follow-through with comprehensive value stories. A department may have -
- Clear, repeatable, and end-to-end framework for both a business case and value realization (or adoption of a PMO's required methodology)
- Strong relationships with Business Analysts or Data Scientists
Clear line to strategic objectives. A department may have -
- Senior leaders as part of digital transformation steering committees
- Senior leaders present bi-annual or quarterly goal cascading initiatives
Your Operational Excellence Journey in 3 Stages
Your North Star: Achieving maximum ROI through standardization that is enterprise-wise, embedded, and programmatic.
A multi-year journey to Best in Class includes three (3) phases. Click each phase for a description and links to relevant resources.
Build precise, point-solution implementations and grow skill of Digital Adoption Team members.
Take these actions:
- Enroll your DAP Team in relevant learning paths. If you're a one-person show, start with the Builder path.
- Using the Four Pillars framework to show impact. Alignment on the value a Digital Adoption Platform is bringing to your organization is a critical milestone before you scale your project approach. Align on a Value One project with a clear value narrative.
Analyze your current state and envision a path forward.
Take these actions:
- Conduct a SWOT Analysis to understand how a Digital Adoption Program can best fit within the company infrastructure
- Self-assess your Digital Adoption Maturity on the Digital Adoption Maturity Matrix
- Create a 1-3 year success plan to evolve your Digital Maturity from Emerging to Formalizing across five dimensions. Use this step-by-step guide.
Start with standards at the implementation level. As you build value and momentum, extend to a programmatic approach at the enterprise level.
Take these actions:
- Create Project Governance. These standards will improve operational efficiency as you deliver on projects. Better operational efficiency contributes to a stronger overall DAP value narrative. Click here for a Project Governance Checklist.
- Using the Four Pillars framework to "stack" value stories.Showcase a diversity of value drivers and solutions.
- Implement Program Governance as you expand DAP's reach. Click here for a Program Governance Checklist.