Software succeeds when it becomes the easiest path, not the “new option.”

Adoption is not a training issue. It is a product issue and a change issue. One outcome of your software project should always be that it's easier to use than not to.

The 4-Part Rollout Recipe

1) Early involvement

Bring real users into discovery and prototypes.

Screen walkthroughs
Simple clickable mockups
Weekly feedback loops

This is generosity. Share progress, ask for input, and make users feel respected.

2) Make the new way faster

If the new system takes longer, users will avoid it. Remove friction:

Auto-fill fields
Reduce steps
Defaults that match real work
Fewer clicks than the spreadsheet

Craftsmanship matters here. Small UI details create big behaviour changes.

3) Train by role, not by features

Training should match jobs:

Dispatcher training
Manager training
Finance training

Keep it short. Keep it practical. Use real examples from their day.

4) Measure and adjust

Treat rollout as a controlled launch, not a one-time event. Track:

Usage rates by role
Time to complete key tasks
Top user complaints and requests

Speed matters here. Fix friction quickly, while momentum is high.

Mini Case Study. Health Clinic Workflow Adoption

Problem: A health clinic launched a custom intake and scheduling tool. Staff continued using paper forms and old templates.

Mistake: Rollout focused on a single big training session and a hard switch date. Real workflow pain was not addressed. The new tool added steps, so staff reverted.

Fix: The rollout was redesigned using the 4-part recipe.

Early involvement: staff reviewed screens weekly
Faster path: intake became a 2-minute flow with smart defaults
Role-based training: front desk and clinicians trained separately
Measure and adjust: the top 3 pain points were fixed in the first two weeks

Responsibility showed up as owning adoption outcomes, not blaming staff. Speed showed up as rapid fixes. Craftsmanship showed up as smooth workflows.

Result: Usage became consistent, intake time dropped, and staff stopped duplicating work across systems.

Quick Takeaways

Adoption is designed, not demanded.
Users follow the easiest path every time.
Use the 4-part recipe: involve early, make it faster, train by role, measure and adjust.
Fix friction fast to protect momentum.

Choose one workflow and redesign it so the new system is clearly faster than the old way.

Built it. Nobody uses it. Here’s the fix.