Why 70% of Transformations Fail

Most transformation programs fail. They miss their goals.

I led AI and ERP changes at Novartis. I saw the truth. Technology is not the hard part. The software often works fine. The people simply opt out.

When a project fails, leaders blame data or scope. Those are just symptoms. The real cause is adoption. Most companies treat adoption as a training event at the end. It should be a design rule from the start.

A tool provides zero value if people avoid it. I saw perfect software with 30% usage. People kept using old spreadsheets instead.

You do not get the ROI of the software you bought. You get the ROI of the software people use.

People resist change because it feels like a bad trade. They see more risk and more scrutiny with no personal gain.

To fix this, you need psychological safety. People must feel safe to say "I do not understand this" or "this process is broken." Without safety, people hide confusion. Hidden confusion leads to silent workarounds. Workarounds lead to failure.

Follow this plan to win:

  • Define the win: Before you build anything, write down how a specific role changes. If you cannot show a win for that person, you do not have a plan. You only have a rollout.
  • Use skeptics: Do not just talk to fans. Put the loudest skeptic in the design room. They find real problems early. When a skeptic agrees with the plan, others will follow.
  • Lead with honesty: Ask leaders to admit mistakes. One honest moment from a boss builds more trust than many surveys.
  • Reward honesty: Thank people who report broken steps. They are doing quality control for you.
  • Measure the right things: Do not just track budget and dates. Track how many people use the tool and how often they use workarounds.
  • Fix and broadcast: When you fix a problem, tell everyone. Show them that speaking up changes the system.

Treat trust like infrastructure. You must design it and budget for it just like your tech stack.

Stop auditing your architecture. Start asking your team: "What would make this better for you, and what are you afraid to tell me?"

The 30% who win are the ones who listen.

Source: https://dev.to/cedricbignet/why-70-of-transformations-fail-and-the-people-first-fix-1ff

Optional learning community: https://t.me/GyaanSetuAi