The key takeaways from our recent webinar: 'The key to digital workplace success'

According to a recent Forrester study, by 2027, 31% of global technology expenditure will be directed at software. Moreover, 66% of technology decision-makers state that they intend to increase investment in employee experience (EX) software over the course of 2024/25.

Comprising a large portion of this spend is highly customized software, ultra-tailored to specific business requirements. Transformational though this software is, it amplifies the complexity of already intricate digital workplaces, where employees must deal with multiple application environments and set ups.

To cope with this upsurge in software, digital adoption platforms (DAPs) have grown in popularity and many organisations are using DAP Centers of Excellence to boost their digital transformation initiatives.

In our recent webinar, Vasupradha Srinivasan, Principal Analyst at Forrester, provided a series of reasons for and benefits of building a DAP Center of Excellence, together with guidance around best practices for digital workplace success. Vasupradha was joined by AppLearn CEO, Andrew Avanessian, and AppLearn Solutions Consultant, Dave Carling.

Here, we present the key takeaways from the webinar, including how and why organisations are facing difficulties with digital transformation, the ways a DAP can support organisations to achieve their goals, and the power of a Center of Excellence framework.

Key Takeaways

DAPs are at an inflection point:

Vasupradha described how the upward spend on DAP technology can be explained by the rise of IT estates that comprise a blend of market-ready and highly customized, business-specific software. In isolation, these solutions offer great promise, but they stand in the way of seamless digital transformation journeys. Journeys that must account for the likes of growing operational complexities and an increase in remote working.

There is an urgent need for a layer that sits on top of these elaborate software and application arrangements that’s able to enhance DEX, boost productivity, and accelerate business performance.

Firms are looking for help:

Vasupradha went on to outline the main challenges firms face as they continue on the road to digital transformation. Whether it’s managing distributed workforces or catering for diverse employee needs around remote learning and continuous knowledge delivery, firms want to help employees navigate multiple software and evolving app environments.

All three speakers agreed; leaders know they need to increase employee engagement because the cost of low technology adoption and a disengaged workforce is substantial.

Not all DAPs are created equal:

Not all DAPs are created equal, and tools and toolkits designed for employee productivity are not to be confused with DAPs. Vasupradha, Andrew, and David concurred that, as they have the power to reduce complexity across the entire app stack and drive employee engagement with insights on internal app usage, DAPs have a much larger scope and greater transformative power.

Whereas the various tools and toolkits the market has to offer provide little in the way of interactivity, DAPs bridge gaps in insight, displaying where over- or under-investment occurs in applications, whether applications are being used correctly, and if application usage aligns with compliance demands.

Centers of Excellence need governance and guidance layers:

Andrew made the point that DAPs are not a DIY software. They require dedicated, skilled resources to meet the pace of innovation challenges and provide effective awareness and education. With a central governance layer built on top of their DAP projects and initiatives, Centers of Excellence can be used as a channel to bring in expertise when needed and make digital transformations seamless.

DAP Centers of Excellence also create a vital centralized guidance layer. With different applications all possessing different interfaces, analytics, chatbots, user journeys, and features, a DAP’s ability to provide personalized guidance at the right time is supercharged. This is especially true when a Center of Excellence supplies the knowledge needed to leverage this guidance effectively.

Successful DAP implementation depends on clear objectives:

To ensure a successful DAP implementation, employee training should start with an understanding of the core reasons for using a DAP. It's crucial to approach DAP initiatives with scalability in mind, recognizing that success hinges not just on technology but also on functional expertise and the ability to transition smoothly between use cases.

Learning to utilize insights from user experience and feedback is key to identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Involving the executive team by aligning DAP objectives with overall business goals underscores the importance of treating DAP not as an isolated project but as a strategic, business-wide initiative.

Don’t wait for AI to solve all your problems:

Vasupradha explained that deciding whether to wait for next-generation DAPs or to integrate AI now hinges on understanding that AI, as it stands, may not simplify processes. In its current state, the complexity of AI is not conducive to widespread enterprise use.

Achieving personalization and ease of integration with AI initiatives requires foundational support. Early adoption of support mechanisms like DAPs can pave the way for smoother future integration of AI, suggesting that waiting for next-gen solutions might not be necessary if the groundwork is laid out thoughtfully from the start.