Identifying and appointing early adopters helps the organisation manage the inevitable ambiguity and uncertainty associated with implementing change. 

Selecting the right participants for the Early Adopter Programme is key to gain valuable insights and inform the organization-wide launch. There is no specific number of people to include in the Early Adopters programme, but can aim to include 10-15% of the overall impact group size.

• Users from different lines of business and departments, preferably those that work together on a project or business process. 
• Representatives from identified user groups who will be impacted by the change. Representatives from identified user groups who were part of Change Discover and Assessment phase. That is, people who were involved in defining the change characteristics and benefits.
• If you are implementing a technology change, identify people who typically struggle with technology, This presents a clear but obvious opportunity to address their challenges early on. 
• IT and help desk team members who will support users during launch. 

• Create the groundswell of enthusiasm that grows adoption.
• Build a circle of influence among their teams.
• Bring the new ways of working to life across teams.
• Identify business challenges and possible solutions.
• Provide feedback to the project team and sponsors.
• Reduce strain on core project team through active, ongoing engagement.

While it can be tempting to ask for the CEO’s involvement, keeping them out of the Early Adopters and Change Champions Programmme provides an opportunity to smooth out any issues before they are exposed during the roll-out.

North Sakara's Adoption & Change Management consulting practice can help you define and set up your Early Adopter programme for your transformation change initiative.

Speak to our experts now.