User onboarding: how to increase the Time To Value of your software?

During the adoption of new software, onboarding is the user’s first experience with the software. This concept also refers to the support provided to users in mastering the solution. Its proficiency over time and its appraisal are major stakes for the company, which are measured by the Time To Value (TTV) of the business tool.

To understand user onboarding and TTV, we interviewed Claire Alezra from Accenture Operations.

Knowmore (KM): What is your mission as Head of Accenture Talent Development?

Claire Alezra (CA): I am responsible for the service that supports the deployment of projects in change management, training, and coaching within Accenture Operations. My area covers France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where we have about 120 people. We assist our clients in adopting new business processes and/or tools (for example, CRM, SIRH, ERP).

KM: What is your definition of user onboarding?

CA: To me, user onboarding is the employee’s first experience with their new processes or new work tools. This includes the provision of new software, but also the transmission of knowledge to make the new practices known and appreciated. I would also add the speed and efficiency of mastering the new process or tool; these are two important metrics, the first temporal and the second qualitative.

Train with K-STUDIO

K-STUDIO is an e-learning authoring software to create 100% interactive training content for mastering your business tools. More flexible and cost-effective than a training environment, these interactive and 100% realistic educational modules train through practice, whether in person, remotely, or via e-learning, ensuring a high retention rate among learners.

KM: On that note, what can you tell us about Time To Value and how it is measured?

CA: More than just a ratio, Time To Value (TTV) is the speed at which an employee adopts a new process and tool, achieving the minimum required at time t, and more advanced functionalities can be added as they gain knowledge and understanding of the impact of their actions. For me, TTV equates to Value Realization: as the employee begins to realize the added value of the process or tool. Initially, the value of the new tool’s software is relatively low for a user: it must include the basic functions necessary for their job. The appreciation curve is then almost flat (S-curve). As knowledge of the tool increases over time, this appreciation curve grows as new functionalities are integrated and mastered.

KM: Do the different TTVs (Basic Value Time, Time to Surpass Value) make sense to you?

CA: I prefer to rely on business indicators. These are what measure the actual effectiveness of change management, user adoption, and employee satisfaction. For instance, in addition to classic change management and deployment indicators, we measure the impact of these actions on business processes: for example, reducing supplier payment times, improving sales, enhancing customer satisfaction rates, number of business opportunities… An operational translation through a ‘field’ indicator seems much more meaningful to me.

KM: What about the value of time in the goal of mastering software and performance?

CA: It varies from one project to another. For example, in the case of new legislation, support must be quick, very quick, because there are often implementation dates that cannot change. Conversely, when implementing an ERP, this time factor is crucial, and change management must be staggered over time to allow employees to adjust to the change. We organize and sequence their adoption through a deployment plan, key milestones, all of this in reverse scheduling from the start date.

KM: How can a company accelerate the Time To Value of software?

CA: By having defined the change management process from A to Z in advance. This involves defining ‘field’ personas that represent the daily lives of employees impacted by the change, which will help determine communication and awareness actions, training modules, etc. In this context, adoption tools, such as those from Knowmore, are drivers or even accelerators, to support the mastering of the new tool. A digital adoption platform can simplify onboarding, reassure the employee, accelerate TTV, and increase user satisfaction. Indeed, the application simulator offers 100% realistic interactive training content, available when the employee needs it and provides opportunities for learning by doing, to be operational quickly.

Guide with K-NOW

K-NOW, a digital adoption platform, guides your teams in adopting your CRM modules. Like an application GPS, it features smart guidance, alerts, notifications, feedback, and also onboarding, real-time guided tours… everything is there for an easy and smooth handling.

KM: Finally, how can operational KPIs be improved?

CA: As mentioned earlier, throughout the software adoption process, measuring business indicators is key. It allows us to manage the indicators, see the impact of change management and training actions, and take corrective measures if necessary, through new communication and training actions… with the goal of increasing productivity and quality. Like a gauge, it provides a snapshot of how well users are adopting a tool.

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Our solution, K-VALUE, maps usage and provides business teams with the keys to engage the appropriate corrective actions to enhance the user experience of your software. It includes training, enriching guidance, improving application settings, and revising business processes…

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