Get off the tech treadmill

In 2020, the scramble to remote work was a crisis for many companies, while for those of us in the tech business, it was hard to tell the difference in the work day of mid 2020 compared to 2019. We were already “digital” — we never needed to “transform.” Our way of working was inherently via connected devices and well-structured core systems and workflows. They had to be — or we could not do our jobs.

It’s that term — “Way of Working” — that is critical. At Coherent Ways, we’ve been focused on helping our clients use their technology wisely, and in a year, we’ve learned definitively that most companies have all the tech they need, but they don’t know how to use well it in their contexts.

The ways of working that reduce the value of technology include:

• People in high positions who have absolutely no idea how to use a computer, much less understand a “digital strategy” — they need to understand the “grammar” of digital technology (and some computer skills lessons don’t hurt).
• Workflows that don’t use 95% of the features of platforms already in place — this is especially endemic in Microsoft 365 deployments. Use what you pay for.
• “Experience Design” done once or very infrequently, with no ongoing content pipeline in place, and with no meaningful connection to technology management. Your digital footprint (web, social, email, etc.) isn’t about your company — it is your company. Treat it that way.
• Training, if it happens are all, at a generic “tool-level” (how to use Powerpoint), not a Context/Systems level. This is huge. Imagine trying to learn to drive a car by having separate lessons in “Steering Wheel,” “Accelerator, ” and “Brakes.”

Yet, there are plenty of “strategies” to solve the problem of low ROI from technology and these almost always propose to add and replace technology (but almost never remove it). It’s like being fat and having a treadmill you never use and being told a Peloton will solve your weight problems. For most people, just going for a walk outside most days is what will actually help them stay healthy. Similarly, do you need a whole new CRM platform or do you just need to keep track of customer interactions in some sane and simple way? Don’t obsess over the types of tech tools. Obsess over the way people use tech tools to make things work for your specific purpose.

We’ve come up with an analysis of what actually unlocks the ROI of technology. The way we see it, people need a workflow design that infuses sensible, human-centric attitudes via well-configured & integrated technology systems. The technology needs to work for people, not vice-versa. Then people need mentoring — not just tool-based training — when it comes to using technology to do their work. For many people, learning to use technology is like learning a language — it requires immersion and help from a patient fluent speaker.

We help our clients shift their thinking about their technology, making it subordinate to the ways people work, the ways the marketplace is shifting, and the ways it can become a strategic advantage, not a cost center.

It all start with remembering that technology is supposed to be a tool people use to improve how they do things— an never losing sight of that idea.