Digital Adoption Platform
How to increase software adoption with a Digital Adoption Platform
A digital adoption platform (DAP) serves as a guide for end-users navigating new digital tools and software.
Introduction
What is a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP)?
A Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) is a digital tool to facilitate the implementation and onboarding of end-users in new software.
At its essence, a digital adoption platform is a piece of software that functions as a dedicated guide for end-users as they navigate the complexities of unfamiliar digital tools and software interfaces. The best DAPs provide real-time assistance, interactive tutorials, and step-by-step walkthroughs that significantly alleviate the challenges associated with mastering new software interfaces.
Successful digital adoption involves enabling users to effectively utilize new technology. In many instances, the effective deployment of digital tools aligns with broader digital transformation strategies, with the ultimate aim of heightened operational efficiency and enhanced productivity.
Learn more about how to drive user adoption. Or continue your reading here to learn the benefits of a DAP and how to choose between the different vendors.
Chapter 1
Key features of digital adoption platforms
By offering in-app guides, multi-language support, interactive tutorials, and context-aware tips, digital adoption solutions have changed the way organizations approach software integration. Some of the key features that define digital adoption platforms include:
- In-app guidance: Digital adoption platforms provide real-time, context-sensitive support within software interfaces, reducing the learning curve.
- Interactive walkthroughs: Users benefit from step-by-step tutorials that promote practical, hands-on learning and employee training.
- Contextual tips and notifications: Context-aware prompts guide users and prevent errors, enhancing the user experience.
- User onboarding: A digital adoption platform accelerates the integration and proficiency of new employees through guided tours and tutorials.
- Performance support: Just-in-time assistance ensures high user productivity by addressing challenges promptly.
- Personalization: Tailored learning paths and the selection of different learning materials cater to individual preferences and roles, optimizing skill acquisition.
- Advanced reporting and analytics: Insights from user behavior data inform decisions and enhance training strategies.
- Documentation: Best digital adoption solutions automatically create documentation for your business processes and software flows, reducing production and upkeep time required for up-to-date documentation.
- Localization: Top software platforms localize your content automatically, making it easy to support a multilingual team.
Chapter 2
Benefits of a digital adoption platform?
Digital adoption platforms have become important tools for organizations looking to solve the challenges associated with software adoption, while also enhancing user proficiency, and maximizing their technology investments. Forbes states that 84% of digital transformation projects fail due to the unsuccessful user adoption of the technology (Forbes 2016) and Boston Consulting Group follows through with the statement that 70% of large IT projects weren’t considered successful as they didn’t meet the desired outcomes. (BCG 2020)
Digital adoption platforms address key pain points often associated with digital transformation and align seamlessly with organizational goals, like better analytics capabilities or increased productivity thanks to digital technologies, contributing to a more streamlined and efficient operational excellence overall.
01 | Efficient onboarding
Transitioning to new software can be overwhelming for end users. A digital adoption platform bridges this gap by significantly reducing onboarding time and costs. Through quick software familiarity, users swiftly grasp essential functionalities, enabling them to contribute to their roles without prolonged learning curves.
For example, organizations that integrate ClickLearn’s digital adoption solution commonly experience rapid user familiarization, allowing employees to quickly adapt to new software and become productive contributors.
02 | Enhanced user proficiency
ClickLearn’s interactive features, for instance, equip users with hands-on experiences that enhance their software skills and overall productivity.
03 | Increased productivity
Time is of the essence in any business. DAPs play a pivotal role in minimizing downtime and errors. By offering real-time assistance and performance support, users can swiftly overcome obstacles and continue their tasks without disruption, ultimately boosting overall efficiency.
With the assistance of a digital adoption platform, users can troubleshoot issues on the spot, eliminating the need for prolonged troubleshooting sessions with the support team or unnecessary support tickets altogether.
04 | Optimized software adoption
The success of any software implementation hinges on its adoption. Digital adoption platforms provide organizations with the insights needed to ensure successful adoption. By tracking user behavior and offering comprehensive data on adoption rates, user satisfaction, and software utilization, DAPs empower organizations to refine their strategies and make informed decisions that maximize their return on investment.
Most digital adoption platforms offer user analytics, giving organizations a clear view of software adoption progress, and enabling strategic adjustments as needed.
05 | Improved user satisfaction
User satisfaction is the bedrock of successful software integration, and often digital transformation efforts rely on confident and content end users.
DAPs contribute to this satisfaction by addressing user concerns promptly and fostering engaging learning experiences. Quicker issue resolution, coupled with interactive tutorials and contextual tips, create an environment where users feel supported and confident in their software usage, and are less likely to revert back to old, less productive ways of working.
06 | Data-driven decision-making
Leveraging data-driven insights is essential for solving complex business problems, and in turn, shaping effective business strategies. Digital adoption solutions excel in this by providing organizations with a deep understanding of user behavior. These insights go beyond basic interactions, delving into adoption rates, user satisfaction, and software utilization.
This way, organizations can optimize their software adoption strategies and business processes overall, resulting in a good return on investment through heightened user satisfaction and enhanced productivity.
07 | Consistent user experience
In an era of diverse software-based tools and platforms, maintaining a consistent user experience is paramount. DAPs ensure that users encounter a uniform experience across various platforms, mitigating confusion and enhancing user satisfaction. This consistency contributes to a seamless workflow and empowers users to focus on tasks rather than grappling with different software interfaces.
The benefits of a digital adoption platform encompass efficient onboarding, elevated user proficiency, increased productivity, optimized software adoption, improved user satisfaction, data-driven decision-making, and a consistent user experience. These advantages collectively position the best digital adoption platforms as important solutions that empower organizations to not only navigate the complexities of digital tools but also achieve better efficiency, productivity, and an increased bottom line.
Chapter 3
Sector-specific benefits of using a software for digital adoption
From healthcare and finance to retail and manufacturing, the best digital adoption platforms prove to be transformative solutions that drive efficiency, elevate user proficiency, and contribute to positive business outcomes.
Manufacturing and distribution
- Within the manufacturing and distribution sector, DAPs play a vital role in streamlining intricate business processes and enhancing operational efficiency. These platforms facilitate the transition from traditional workflows to advanced digital solutions and effective software application, ensuring that every aspect of the manufacturing and distribution cycle is optimized. Interactive tutorials, real-time assistance, and process guidance empower manufacturing and distribution employees to master complex software and machinery, resulting in improved productivity, minimized errors, and accelerated training for new hires. DAPs also contribute to compliance adherence, cost savings, and data-driven decision-making.
Healthcare
- DAPs assume a pivotal role in the healthcare sector, particularly in streamlining the utilization of Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems. These platforms simplify the navigation and interaction with EHR systems, allowing medical professionals to focus more on delivering quality patient care rather than grappling with complex software interfaces. By offering real-time guidance and contextual tips, DAPs contribute to improved healthcare processes, data accuracy, compliance, and security. This results in better patient outcomes, reduced administrative burdens, and enhanced overall healthcare efficiency.
Finance
- The complexity of financial software is a challenge that DAPs effectively address. These platforms streamline the interactions with intricate financial software systems, ensuring accurate data management and regulatory compliance – critical elements for the finance industry. By enhancing financial software utilization, DAPs support improved decision-making, risk management, and operational efficiency. Through in-app guidance and interactive tutorials, finance professionals can navigate software complexities seamlessly, resulting in quicker insights, improved client services, and strengthened data security.
Retail
- In the retail industry, DAPs empower businesses to elevate customer service through enhanced point-of-sale and inventory tools. These platforms optimize the interactions between employees and software systems, resulting in a seamless and satisfying shopping experience for customers. By offering real-time assistance and up-to-date documentation to retail staff, DAPs directly contribute to increased customer satisfaction, fostering customer loyalty and retention. Retailers benefit from reduced training time, improved sales efficiency, and a heightened ability to adapt to rapidly changing customer demands.
Chapter 4
How to choose the right digital adoption platform?
Choosing the right digital adoption platform involves the evaluation of key factors, including ROI and reporting, compliance and security, integration capabilities, vendor support, and customization options. By selecting a DAP that aligns with an organization’s goals and requirements, businesses can empower their workforce, optimize software and end user adoption, and achieve greater operational efficiency.
When evaluating digital adoption platform software, organizations must prioritize platforms that provide a tangible return on investment (ROI). A crucial aspect of this is the DAP's ability to deliver comprehensive reporting and analytics. These reports offer valuable technical resources and insights into key metrics, such as adoption rates, user satisfaction, and employee productivity. By measuring these factors, organizations can assess the effectiveness of their software adoption strategies and make informed decisions to optimize outcomes. A DAP that offers robust reporting capabilities equips organizations with the data-driven insights needed to continuously enhance employee training efforts and maximize ROI.
Every organization has unique software requirements and processes. A DAP's customization capabilities are crucial for tailoring training content and guidance to match an organization's specific needs. The DAP's user interface and learning materials should also be intuitive and user-friendly, promoting engagement and effective contextual learning. A customizable and user-centric digital adoption platform creates a positive experience for users and contributes to the overall success of the software adoption journey.
Compliance and security are crucial concerns in today's digital landscape. A reliable DAP goes beyond merely facilitating onboarding and training; it extends its commitment to data security and regulatory adherence. Ensuring sensitive data is safeguarded and regulatory requirements are met is essential, no matter your field. By adopting a DAP that takes a holistic approach to compliance, organizations mitigate risks, prevent breaches, and support their sustainable growth. A digital adoption platform that prioritizes compliance and security provides a strong foundation for maintaining trust, both internally and with customers or clients.
Choosing a digital adoption platform with robust vendor support and regular updates is essential for long-term success. Organizations need a responsive support system that addresses queries, resolves issues promptly, and provides guidance when needed. Regular updates indicate a commitment to staying current with software changes and industry trends. This ensures that the digital adoption platform remains effective and aligned with evolving user needs and software updates, maximizing its value over time.
Another important factor to consider is the integration capabilities of the digital adoption solution. An effective digital adoption platform should seamlessly integrate with an organization's existing enterprise applications and overall software ecosystem. This integration ensures a smooth user experience across various tools and platforms, reducing friction and increasing user adoption. A well-integrated DAP optimizes the learning journey by offering a consistent environment and access to guidance wherever users interact with software applications.
People work better when they’re not laying bricks, but building houses.
“A very large part of why people are failing in their digital transformation is around the adoption side.
Typically what happens is that users say, ‘I don’t understand this technology. It’s difficult to use. I haven’t been trained on all of that stuff.’ Now, that’s the part that we have removed, right?
We are taking this absolute pain out and making sure that with very, very little effort you can get your users to actually adopt the technology.
So when the new tech hits them, they’re well trained. They not only have performance support inside their application that will enable them to do their job better, but also they’re not going to feel the frustration of not being able to complete their tasks.
The idea is that without a digital adoption solution we are basically asking users to build a house, but we are not giving them any tools, saying ‘You gotta do it by hand.”
Joachim Schiermacher, CEO, ClickLearn
Chapter 5
The future of solutions for digital adoption
By simplifying onboarding, enhancing utilization and documentation, and reducing support costs, DAPs empower organizations to unlock the full potential of their technology investments and digital transformation projects. Digital adoption platforms transcend being mere tools; they are catalysts for optimized software adoption.
In an era defined by relentless technological progress, embracing DAPs represents more than a strategic move: it underscores an organization’s commitment to innovation, productivity, and enduring success. As industries evolve, DAPs help guide organizations toward sustained growth, operational excellence, and enriched customer experiences.
Find out more about the benefits of digital adoption, a quick review of the history, and predictions for 2023 at this webinar with Joachim Schiermacher, CEO of ClickLearn. The webinar was conducted at the beginning of January 2023.
Chapter 6
Why we believe ClickLearn to be the best Digital Adoption Platform
We often refer to ClickLearn as a DAP+ solution due to the technical build-up behind the surface. The unique recording technology delivers a superior learning experience for the end-user and makes life easier for IT departments and management. The technology has brought into a market-leading position for the automatic creation of training material and documentation for enterprise software the last decade. Since the launch in 2013, we’ve helped more than 800 companies improve their digital adoption. Create content faster, onboard users better, and upgrade changes to documentation more easily.
Automatically produce learning content in 7 formats and 45 languages
The process of using ClickLearn starts by capturing work processes in your enterprise software like Microsoft Dynamics, IFS, SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, Acumatica or similar. From the captured processes, ClickLearn automatically produces learning content in 7 formats and 45 languages. Afterwards the the learning content can be pushed to a customizable eLearning Portal. Besides, ClickLearn helps keep content and documentation up-to-date with the unique Replay functionality, which automatically updates screenshots and written steps, if the software or processes are changing.
Watch an ultrashort cut of ClickLearn in use below.
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ClickLearn integrates with the most popular business & enterprise software. See the list here.
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Chapter 7
Conclusion and FAQs
In conclusion, leveraging a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) is undoubtedly the key to unlocking the full potential of your software investment.
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, software adoption is not just a goal; it’s a necessity for staying competitive and agile. With a Digital Adoption Platform in your arsenal, you’re equipped to bridge the gap between software implementation and user productivity, ensuring that your organization fully capitalizes on its software investments. Embrace the future of software adoption with a DAP, and watch your teams thrive in the digital era.
To recap, here are the essential steps to increase software adoption with a Digital Adoption Platform:
- Start by identifying your software adoption goals.
- Evaluate and choose the right DAP Solution to match the goals.
- Create a personalized onboarding experience that caters to different users and specific needs.
- Implement ongoing training resources and provide accessible support channels.
- Set up monitoring of user engagement and behavior within the software.
- Encourage users to provide feedback on their software experience through the DAP.
- Empower users to explore and experiment with the software.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of your DAP-driven adoption strategy – and adjust to the meet the identified goals.
FAQ on Digital Adoption Platform
Yes, the best digital adoption platforms offer customization options to tailor the training content and guidance to your organization’s unique software and processes. This ensures that the digital adoption platform aligns with your specific requirements, making the learning experience more relevant and engaging for users.