Introducing new tech? The roll out is not the finish line.

Rolling out a new system often gets treated like the finish line.
But for most people impacted by the change, its only the start.

You can tick all the boxes: software launched, training completed, users logged in, and still miss the most important question: “Is it actually changing the way people work?”

This is the gap between implementation and impact.
And to close that gap, we need to shift our lens, from systems delivered to behaviours changed.

When we look at digital transformation, are we asking, how will this impact how work is done?

Every change we make will have behavioural outcomes.  Behavioural outcomes are the visible everyday ways people interact differently because of the change.  Some of the changes will be intentional, some will be unintentional. 

So how do you get the behaviour change to align with the digital or process change?  Enter the COM-B Model, which gives us a practical way to implement change.

One of the most effective ways to understand and influence behaviour change comes from Susan Michie and her team.  The idea is that for change to stick, we need to ensure three key things are in place:

1. Capability (C) do people have the knowledge and skills to do it?
2. Opportunity (O) does the environment and culture support the behaviour?
3. Motivation (M) Do they want to do it? Do they believe it’s worth learning?

What the model tells us is that if even one of these is missing, the behaviour likely won’t happen, at least not consistently.  And that’s what successful adaption of change requires, a willingness to change behaviours and patterns consistently over time.

So when a change is introduced its not just about whether people can use it, its about whether they feel supported, encouraged and motivated to embrace it and all the flow on effects, as part of their daily work.

As a leader how do you know behaviour change is happening?

Using COM-B as a guide check in on the following:

Capability: means really knowing how to use the tool, not just fumbling through. 

What capability looks like: team members are no longer using old ways or work arounds, they know how to use the tool confidently, not just the basics and the training gave them insights in to how to use the tool in scenarios they encounter every day.  In some cases, this will mean, even providing field-based training or trouble shooting.

Opportunity: roadblocks are removed, and time is given for learning. 

What opportunity looks like: the tool is embedded into workflows, not just an add on.  Team norms are shifting to expect its use.

Motivation: people understand the why behind the change beyond hard metrics. 

What motivation looks like: people believe the new system or tool will help them and make workflow easier, early adopters are encouraging others, team is receiving recognition for trying new ways of working, even when it feels messy.

These are all leading indicators of whether digital change will last.

When it comes to successful cultural change (which digital change requires to work), you can track clicks, number of users and training sign offs, but if people are still relying on old spreadsheets or working around the new system to make decisions, the change hasn’t truly landed.  You may have signed off on the change months ago, but you are not even close to 100% of the way there.

Behaviour is the bridge between change introduced and change adopted.

Use the COM-B lens to ask:

• Are my team capable?
• Do they have the opportunity?
• Are they genuinely motivated?

Because when frontline leaders focus on these three levers, digital transformation becomes something people embrace and live, not just launch.

Who are the frontline leaders driving your change?