Change is inevitable … and for some people, change is like a holiday … for others, any form of change is to be feared like the coming of the Four Horses of the Apocalypse.
While the discussion around digital acceleration within media seems to focus exclusively around consumer-facing platforms and new commercial models, just as much change is happening in the “back office” – the back-end digital processes that teams use to publish and stream content to public-facing platforms; and effectively and safely collaborate, access and share media IP in this new, shifting remote working world.
But putting new platforms in place is just the first round of what can become an epic 12-round heavyweight slugfest if effective change management is not planned for. Securing the buy-in of active role players who will make or break the success of any digital acceleration project is crucial if organisations are going to see a healthy ROI.
Here’s how PT plans for successful change management …
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
It’s a natural question to ask and so it’s important that role players understand the short- and long-term benefits for themselves, for their teams and finally for the organisation as a whole.
An internal campaign with video or other material that builds hype and excitement (see example below, produced by PT in collaboration with Major League Rugby) is an effective way to lay a foundation for effective change. It’s about managing attitudes and resistance by creating a sense of anticipation.
CLOSE AND PERSONAL
User guides and training material are great, but in the final stages of any digital programme, personalised sessions with smaller teams where real workflow situations can be simulated – allowing users to get their hands dirty, ask pertinent questions, and experience the benefits for themselves – is PT’s preferred method.
BITE-SIZE IS BEST
A digital programme rollout that follows an iterative approach is a great way to minimise organisational disruption, and can prove less intimidating for users. This also allows onboarding and training to be conducted in stages for those who might otherwise feel daunted by the prospect of getting to grips with an entirely new digital ecosystem in one go.
PT’s modular media ecosystem allows for such an approach, where all media assets can be migrated to the cloud in the first phase, setting a strong foundation for further integrated platform rollouts across media workflow, video OTT, websites and apps.
It’s about evolution, not revolution.
GROWING PAINS
As they say, sometimes the best laid plans can go awry. Effective change management is not a once-off tick box, it’s a continuous effort to upskill, train and educate users in order to change organisational behaviour for the long-term.
Continuous training and support should be in place, but equally important is for a regular process of honest reflection where successes are noted, but equally where shortcomings can be measured in the form of user feedback and available data.
It is often in these periods of review where patterns can emerge and important roadmap requirements are identified.
Thank you for reading. If you would like to learn more about PT’s modular media ecosystem, click here.
