The document discusses how new technologies like social media go through phases of adoption within organizations - from initial ignorance, to fear-based resistance, and eventually embrace. It notes that with social media, this cycle occurred within one year for many public sector organizations. While fear of change is natural, the article argues that IT leaders should help organizations understand both the risks and benefits of new technologies to determine which should be embraced despite initial reluctance. Promoting early adoption of technologies that can significantly help organizations fulfill their missions is important.

1. ANDY BLUMENTHAL
W hen it comes to new
technology, first comes
ignorance, then comes fear,
The article stated that
“Last year, a Public CIO
reader survey found that so-
then comes the embrace and cial media didn’t make the
rush to the IT department to list of the top 10 technology
make it happen—now! This priorities for 2009. Today,
scenario plays out again and it’s become the number one
again in organizations. topic among public CIOs.”
In between not making
the top 10 technology list
and becoming number one,
social media was vilified as
G People are being something that would
unaware, misinformed, make the organization lose
or just don’t understand control of its message, that it
the potential that a new was a security risk, and that
technology holds. In it was a colossal waste of
some cases, it’s because employees’ time and should
they generally haven’t be banned (or blocked
been exposed to the and it was by 40 percent of
technology; in other cases, it is because they are organizations).
going forward with eyes wide-shut (what they don’t As the pace of technology innovation increases, the
know can’t harm them or so they think). life cycle of adoption has also rapidly advanced. For ex-
ample, with social media, we went from ignorance to fear
G A new technology; I can’t deal with this. to the embrace in one year flat!
“I’m used to doing it X way.” “Why do we have to Chris Curran, chief technology officer for Diamond
change?” “I can’t learn this new technology.” There Management and Technology Consultants Inc., is quot-
is fear of something new, of change, of the unknown. ed in the article: “If you rewind to 1995, the attitude back
G The acknowledgment that a new technol- then was, ‘No Internet use at work.’ Then it became, ‘No
ogy is important to the organization; that it can’t Internet shopping during work hours.’ But over time, the
be ignored; that it isn’t going away; that the com- issue just went away, because a majority of employees are
petitors are already getting onboard. Oh uh. Get good people, hardworking and productive. Some people
the CIO in here. We need this technology, now! are going to do stupid things whether they have access to
Where are we going to find funding for it this year social networking or not. But it doesn’t make sense to ig-
(or quarter, whatever)? We need to reprioritize our nore a social trend that is bigger than your organization.”
IT projects, so this is at the top (or near it). Let’s get You can’t ignore important new technologies or let
everyone right on this. Can we meet early this week? fear get the better of you. At one time, people were say-
ing, “Oh no, we can’t change from paper communica-
I read an interesting article in Public CIO magazine tions to e-mail. We need everything hard copy.” And
(January 2010) called “A Mile Wide and an Inch Deep,” that changed. Now e-mail is the norm or should I say
which discussed how social media is becoming pervasive
in government.
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2. A&G
was the norm, because social computing for the younger organizational readiness and, poof, there it is. But rather,
generation is becoming the new e-mail. as IT leaders, we need to be sensitive to where people and
What is the answer for IT leaders who want to advance organizations are at on the adoption life cycle and help
organizational adoption of valuable new technologies? to identify those emerging technologies with genuine net
benefits that can’t be ignored or feared—they must be
G
embraced and the sooner the better for the organization,
the benefits and the risks (and how they will be
its people, and all its stakeholders.
mitigated).
G
for capturing business requirements and aligning
new technologies to best meet these.
G
to ensure that the technologies
are not just more shelfware, but that they are readily
adopted and fulfill their potential in the organization
to advance the mission and productivity.
The phases of technology adoption: ignorance, fear,
and embrace are not abnormal or bad—they are human.
And as people, we must have time to recognize and ad-
just to change. You can’t force technology down people’s
throats (proverbially speaking), and you can’t command
EAC
Enterprise Architecture
Conference Europe 2010
16-18 June 2010, London
Making the Connections between Strategic Designs and Business Outcomes
The 10th Annual Enterprise Architecture Conference is Europe’s leading independent and well-established
conference on Enterprise Architecture. In the past 10 years, it has brought together the EA community’s
foremost leading-edge thinkers and experienced practitioners from around the world.
L Keynote Speakers include John Zachman, Don Tapscott
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L Case studies and contributors include ABN Amro, BNP W: www.irmuk.co.uk/eac2010
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Administration, BT Global Services, Department for Work and
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Consulting, The Carphone Warehouse, Office for National
Statistics, Microsoft, The Open Group, National Policing
Improvement Agency, Sogeti Nederland and many more….
L 4 conference tracks and 8 pre-conference tutorials
Strategic IT Training Ltd www.irmuk.co.uk
L The event is structured to accommodate delegates at all levels
Visit the new A&G Web site at www.architectureandgovernance.com 15