Finding the human angle and defining success with a tech-forward, product-led philosophy
AI is undoubtedly the hottest tech topic of our current era. Right now, the companies that make generative AI models and the organizations that rely on them are all jockeying for mindshare, attempting to capture the limelight as they position themselves as thought leaders. It all but feels inevitable that AI will transition from tech innovation into table stakes within a matter of years — so how can you command the narrative when developing or implementing AI solutions is no longer a competitive differentiator?
I’ve been around to help corporations navigate through numerous tech cycles — the broader adoption of the Internet, cloud computing, remote work, 3G networks to 4G networks to 5G networks and so on — and help them to tell their stories for over 25 years. And while tech may evolve over time, the process companies take to embrace these innovations and position themselves as tech-forward, product-led operations hasn’t really changed all that much.
Here are a few core strategies that any organization can use to own the narrative, whether you’re in the initial adoption stages, hoping to stand out from the crowd as the market saturates, or looking forward to the next big thing.
Tell a human story
It’s easy to get caught up in the wow factor of big tech advancements. However, as any innovation inevitably makes its way through the Gartner Hype Cycle, explosive breakthroughs lead to doubt as companies looking to embrace this technology begin to ask important questions: How does this advancement align with our values? How will it allow us to better serve our customers? How will it improve our bottom line?
That’s why it’s critical for organizations to find the human angle in every innovation and tell that story. Take generative AI and automation — sure, it’s impressive that you can ask ChatGPT a question and get a detailed response back almost instantly. But what is the human story behind the value of this product? It’s the time saved on performing menial tasks. It’s the knowledge gained from learning something new. It’s the value it can provide customers by offering better and faster access to the information they need to go about their day. And it’s as much about how we’re using it to help our clients achieve better outcomes as it is about how the companies building it are enabling us to do so.
Technology alone is not the story — it’s merely a tool that allows people to tell those stories more effectively. If a business cannot connect the dots between innovation and how real people will rely on it, it will find standing out from the competition much more challenging.
Find your early adopters and turn them into advocates
Every technological innovation has its vanguard, its early adopters, the people on the bleeding edge willing to put in the work to learn about it to get the most out of it. These people are rarely at the top of the org chart — but I guarantee they exist within any organization.
Find out who these people are and lean on them as you navigate tech cycles, as they will provide you with a wealth of information. They’ll be able to teach other employees about the value of the technology they’re using, find potential pain points the tech could overcome, and provide real-world examples you can draw from to tell your own stories about how you’re relying on these tools to improve operations.
Remain agile and anticipate roadblocks
One of the things I love about working at Highwire is how our relatively small size becomes a major asset in remaining agile and adapting to technological innovations. Change takes time, and the bigger a company is, the longer it takes for that change to fully integrate into operations — and the longer it takes for organizations to tell that story.
On the other hand, a company of our size can examine our pain points, find solutions that work for us, and get entire departments onboard faster than the competition. We’re not just using AI tools on an ad hoc basis. We’re integrating ways to make tools like generative AI a core part of delivering value for our clients. We achieve those goals by remaining open to new ideas and technologies while discovering how to bring them into the fold in a holistic, native way.
That’s not to say larger companies can’t respond quickly to technological innovations. But an organization is only as fast as its slowest component. Knowing where these potential roadblocks are can help you get ahead of them. Here are a few common challenges you’re likely to face:
- A lack of organizational buy-in: Your existing workforce is among the most significant barriers to tech adoption and driving impact. People have learned a specific way of doing things, and whether they like that way or not, the process itself can become calcified, making change difficult to implement. Education and positive reinforcement from advocates are key to helping you win over skeptics.
- Legacy systems: Many organizations often rely on a patchwork of new and old systems that could inhibit the adoption of new technologies. Until you resolve these obstacles, you won’t be able to realize the full potential of any tech you use, making the stories you tell less effective.
- Compartmentalization: Large organizations are far more likely to silo creative and knowledge-gathering processes, reducing the efficacy of any technological advance. Breaking down the walls between components and striving for holistic solutions will allow your solution to deliver far more value.
- A lack of trust: If employees perceive the adoption of technical innovations as a negative, they won’t be forthcoming with how they could use them to enhance their work — giving you an incomplete picture of the full technological narrative. Constant discussion, training, and feedback will help foster an environment where employees and upper management can trust each other to embrace new tech.
Define the terms of success early on
The success of any technological implementation will look different for every organization, but there are a few KPIs anyone can use to determine whether the integration was a success. Simply compare the results from an amount of time using the tech against the same amount of time without the tech, and you’ll find out whether it helped you achieve your goals.
- Operational efficiency: How much time can you save on routine tasks?
- Client satisfaction: Can you improve client feedback scores through the use of generative AI or other technology?
- Employee engagement: Is your team using the tools you’ve provided? Has the quality of their output changed? Have project completion rates improved?
- Scalability: How easy is it to expand usage into additional departments? What is the lift to bringing new employees up to speed? Are there any hidden costs to bringing more users onboard?
- ROI: Are the efficiency and profit gains enough to justify tech adoption and integration? How does maintenance and upkeep affect ROI?
Define what successful integration looks like before you start implementing it so you can properly monitor and compare your metrics over time. This data can then help you craft a more powerful narrative about how your organization has positioned itself as a technology-forward, product-led expert within its space.
Are you looking for ways to tell your own tech innovation story and own the narrative in your industry? Highwire is here to help. We have decades of experience connecting technological innovations to the human stories that power change and growth for Fortune 500 companies and scrappy startups alike. Contact us today to learn more about how we’re using generative AI and automation to lift companies like yours head and shoulders above the competition.