Building a Smart Laboratory 2012 Internal culture and technology adoption


Internal culture and technology adoption


Te introduction of multi-user IT systems into organisations has a mixed track record. Multi-user systems are usually specified by a project team and oſten contain a number of compromises and assumptions about the way people work. High level business objectives can therefore be put in jeopardy if users do not successfully adopt the new system. However, most case studies on electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) implementations indicate a positive user take-up. Tis may be attributed to the growing understanding of aspects of technology adoption, originally reported by Everett Rogers in his book Te Diffusion of Innovations[17]


Moore in Crossing the Chasm.18] Moore’s chasm (see Figure 7) is the gap


between the early adopters and the mainstream market. Te early adopters are a relatively easy market. Targeting them initially is important, but the next phase of the marketing strategy must target the conservative and pragmatic majority. Te early adopters can play a central role in this. Since the ELN project team is likely to be formed from the early adopters, it can play a pivotal role not only in specifying and selecting a solution, but in articulating the rationale for the ELN, provide training and ongoing support to the conservative and pragmatic majority. User adoption is oſten considered one


of the most critical success factors of an IT project and paying appropriate attention to user requirements will enhance the likelihood of


Fig. 7: Crossing the Chasm


Pragmatists Looking for


Visionaries Looking for a breakthrough


Technology Enthusiasts Looking for some neat technology


an improvement


Conservatives Believe in tradition


Sceptics Not


looking


success. Key to this is the recognition that people are more likely to comply with a request when: • A reason is provided; • Tere is give and take; • Tey see others complying; • Te request comes from someone they respect or like;


• Te request comes from a legitimate source of authority. Concerns about user adoption can be


reduced by carefully choosing the project team to ensure that these criteria are addressed, rather than just announcing a new system and the training course schedule. Typically, putting a strong emphasis on user requirements and user


adoption by engaging users throughout the process tends to brand the implementation as a ‘laboratory’ project, rather than an ‘IT’ project and this can oſten make it easier for scientists to accept the proposed change. Te Technology Acceptance Model[19]


(see


Figure 8) is an information systems theory that models how users come to accept and use a technology. It suggests that when users are presented with a soſtware package, a number of factors influence their decisions about how and when they will use it. Te main ones are: Perceived usefulness (PU): ‘Te degree


to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance’. Perceived ease-of-use (EOU): ‘Te degree to


which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort’. Te technology acceptance model assumes


that when someone forms an intention to act, they will be free to act without limitation. In the real world there will be many constraints, such as limited ability, time constraints, environmental or organisational limits, or unconscious habits which will limit the freedom to act. Concentration on the positive aspects of


Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Late Majority Laggards


‘usefulness’, both to the organisation and to the individual, and ‘ease of use’ will help users develop a positive attitude. It is in this area that the early adopters can have a powerful influence of their conservative and pragmatic peers.


33 Fig. 8: Technology Acceptance Model


The degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her job performance


Individual user’s positive or negative feelings about performing the target behaviour


Perceived usefulness


External variables


Perceived ease-of-use


A measure of the strength of one’s intention to perform a specific behaviour


and developed further by Geoffrey


The degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free from effort


Attitude toward


Behavioural intention


The Chasm


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