The best Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs)
More about Best Digital Adoption Software & Tools
Digital Adoption Platform Definition: What is Digital Adoption Software?
The term "Digital Adoption" describes the process by which individuals acquire the ability to master new digital technologies and to independently carry out related processes. A Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) offers very efficient support in carrying out relevant onboarding tasks.
It enables companies to equip critical business systems - especially computer programs, mobile apps, or websites - with an additional layer. An adoption solution or its user interface is practically placed over the user interface of another software or website.
From the backend of the DAP, various aids, such as step-by-step instructions, tasks, tips, or links to further information, can be activated on the interface. Ideally, these provide comprehensive support for users of the software that lies beneath the DAP.
The primary goal of every Digital Adoption Platform is to automate the induction into new systems or individual modules, tools, or features of these, thus saving personnel resources and ultimately time and money.
Why Should Companies Use a Digital Adoption Tool?
Digital transformation and digital adoption are different processes that are often closely connected. The former describes the conversion of certain processes and workflows to a digital basis. This is done by introducing appropriate digital technologies or software. Digital adoption refers to the training of personnel or (in the case of system distribution) customers into the programs or individual components of these, which are implemented in the course of digital transformation.
Year after year, billions are invested in digitization and further optimization of digital processes. There are now powerful and reliable software solutions for an enormous number of business-relevant processes that are widely used. Unfortunately, the success rate for the introduction and subsequent long-term successful use of new digital helpers is significantly below 50 percent. Here, a lot of potential goes up in smoke.
The problem is that there is often a lack of time, personnel resources, and not least experience and knowledge to prepare the relevant individuals so that they can genuinely handle the new technologies. Only when the latter is given do the often costly digital solutions realize their full benefits. Otherwise, they mean a lot of wasted money.
Digital Adoption Software can effectively provide a solution. Even with their use, specific knowledge about the new programs, modules, or functions is still required. However, this can then be imparted automatically directly in the applications to be introduced.
It suffices if one or a few responsible people are familiar with it. The DAP is equipped by these people with everything the future users need for target-oriented use. The platform takes care of the introduction, or it is carried out by the users themselves in daily use.
Not only is this efficient in terms of time and resource-specific efforts, but it is also very secure. Because in this way, the users are not only trained once or at certain dates but continuously! The chances of success of large and small digitizations as well as individual optimization steps can thus be greatly increased.
How Does a DAP Work?
There are two main areas of focus for Digital Adoption Software:
- The introduction of employees to new systems.
- The training of customers in sold systems.
Both areas have - as will be shown in the following - their typical functional patterns.
1. Promoting internal software introduction for employees In most cases, a DAP is implemented to train employees after the introduction of new technologies. They can thus receive exactly the support they need at the current time directly while using a new solution.
With the help of the Digital Adoption Platform, those responsible can create task lists and in-app instructions to get the relevant colleagues on track. The most important functions are explained step by step.
Analytics features make it possible to monitor whether and at which points employees are stuck. With the help of these insights, the assistance can be optimized with pinpoint accuracy. In addition, DAPs allow various self-help options to be integrated. End users are ideally provided with a comprehensive knowledge database with which they can find all relevant documentation and answers to their questions themselves.
2. To promote customer acceptance For business software, the acceptance rate in the first year is often not even 50 percent. Quite a few companies cancel their licenses within a short time and look for a different solution. For software providers, this is of course particularly annoying. The use of a DAP as an additional support or training tool can significantly mitigate these risks.
Scheduling individual workflows and instructions is naturally more difficult here, as various companies use software differently. However, this can be achieved in conjunction with an additional paid training service. Providing such a training offer is highly targeted and significantly reduces the support effort on the part of the provider.
Software providers can always integrate a specific knowledge database into a DAP, which conveys central information about the functions, buttons, sliders, intentions, etc., of a solution. With the help of such access to self-help materials, the number of support tickets can be significantly reduced.
Analytics once again play an important role here. Those responsible can accurately determine where customers have problems through the evaluations of user behavior, and the knowledge database can be expanded accordingly. It is even possible to set up warning messages that guide the users to relevant support materials.
What Advantages and Disadvantages Do Digital Adoption Tools Offer?
Ultimately, platforms for digital adaptation were developed to safely introduce new technologies or improve the user experience with such on the customer side and prevent people from being frustrated by complicated software.
Ideally, they provide enormous support for companies in creating exactly these conditions and enable them to do so with high efficiency.
This is undoubtedly the central advantage of DAPs. The main benefits that go hand in hand with this in detail are summarized below.
Improved ROI: New software can be expensive. If it is not used to its full extent, companies are not operating at maximum efficiency. This affects employee productivity and eventually revenue. In the worst case, such solutions mean a lot of wasted money. However, if those responsible equip their software with a Digital Adoption Platform, they can be sure that all users are guided in the right direction. They even learn the functions while in operation. This is optimal for ROI.
Usage analysis: A deep understanding of employee or customer behavior when using new software can make the introduction process extremely efficient. Those responsible don't have to ask where the greatest training need lies or wait for corresponding feedback. They can determine this securely based on data. Finally, there is the opportunity to intervene precisely where it is necessary, based on data.
Acceptance of technology introduction: Platforms for digital adoption are not always just about making the introduction process as such more efficient. One of the main obstacles for companies that introduce new systems or functions is the reluctance of employees or customers to accept them at all. The corresponding individuals think that they already have enough to do and do not want to take the time to attend hours of training, just to understand something that might have worked for years even without a new solution. The considerable simplification of the training that can be achieved by a DAP often leads to people being more open to software updates.
These are undoubtedly very strong arguments for Digital Adoption Platforms. Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages - or rather potential difficulties - that can arise with the use of such solutions. The following challenges are typical.
Lack of strategy: A platform for software adoption can be a very powerful helper in introducing new systems. But without the right attitude or the appropriate strategy, even the best solution will not be able to unfold its full possibilities. Those responsible, who steer the training using a DAP, should bring sufficient know-how with the program to be established and also with the adoption platform itself. It is crucial to develop a strategy for the best possible instruction and the best possible acceptance and implement it via the DAP. Many decision-makers do not have the associated effort in mind, which leads to a lot of potential being wasted, even with the software that is supposed to ensure the digital adoption of other solutions.
Data protection (increased effort): For companies that work with sensitive data or have strict internal rules, installing a DAP could be difficult. If it is a cloud solution, the overlay data is usually hosted by the particular Digital Adoption Platform provider. The lack of trust that might be associated with this is fully solvable only by using an on-premise software that is installed in-house. However, this is then probably significantly more expensive and associated with more administrative effort.
How to Choose the Right Digital Adoption Software?
The selection of a DAP can be a complicated task. One of the most constructive research approaches is to first examine the possible functions of digital adoption platforms. Subsequently, the solutions whose features best match the core concerns of the respective software implementation should be narrowed down. Of course, several other factors play significant roles in the decision. The following summarizes the generally most important purchase aspects.
Software-internal learning workflows The core functions of most Digital Adoption Platforms form tools for creating software-internal learning workflows. DAPs give companies the opportunity to generate various types of content to guide users for the optimal use of the software to be implemented. The following formats are particularly common:
- Interactive Walkthroughs
- Step-by-step instructions
- Functional tips and strategic hints
- Task lists
- Knowledge databases
- Product demos
Such features are essential for effective adoption. They also significantly determine the price of the solution. Therefore, it is important to identify as precisely as possible what functions are required for content generation before the actual purchasing process. It can then be searched precisely for solutions within the respective budget that offer this.
Easy creation and management of content DAPs require different skills in the creation of content. With some, teams must have more specialist or even programming knowledge to get the maximum out of it. Others offer intuitive interfaces that deliver top-notch results with just a few clicks.
After training content has been created and published, it will probably need to be updated regularly. Because software and therefore usage processes are continuously evolving. The chosen DAP should allow existing content to be updated quickly and easily and, if necessary, moved. This can ensure long-term secure support.
Contextual self-services One of the often most powerful functions of Digital Adoption Software are contextual self-help features. Corresponding widgets are embedded directly into the application to be introduced. This provides end users with a repository of support content and support documentation or even video tutorials during work.
These self-help widgets can be integrated with an internal knowledge base, the company intranet, or a specific file storage system. The goal is to provide users with an easily accessible, quickly searchable self-help assistant with which they can answer as many context-related questions on software application as possible on their own.
Analysis of user behavior Good DAPs deliver data on employee or user behavior on various levels. They can record how and in what sequence applications are used. For this, a programmer does not have to create a technical framework for tracking user events first. With the Digital Adoption Platform, those responsible get everything they need.
This, on the one hand, allows product managers to support the product analysis of their sold software. Important key figures for product acceptance can be derived and finally used for product improvement. The goals are to ensure easier introduction and safer acceptance of the solution.
On the other hand, supervisors can analyze the adoption of new programs in specific teams. There is the opportunity to identify gaps in learning content for software implementation, particularly reliably and efficiently - because data-based - and improve the onboarding.
Built-in user feedback Some DAPs enable companies to record employee or customer feedback (in real-time). This occurs directly via features embedded in the applications. Included are, among others, the following feedback formats:
Customer or user reviews, function requests, comments on user processes, identification of friction points, problem-solving requests, and more.
Employee opinions on post-onboarding and training, performance support, IT support, long-term user experience, and more.
Simple implementation and integration DAPs are enterprise applications with complex focal points, which means that their implementation can also be time-consuming and tedious. Accordingly, it is essential to look at the implementation conditions. If in doubt, opt for a DAP whose provider offers specific implementation services.
In addition, it is important to ensure that the chosen DAP cooperates smoothly with the software planned for introduction. On the other hand, it should also be able to be integrated with other potentially needed business applications, such as a storage solution for storing more extensive content.
Customer support Good support is an important selection criterion for all software. This becomes even more relevant with DAPs the more business-critical the solution to be introduced with the platform is. If it is an essential business application and the adoption layer above it fails, so that it can no longer be used reliably, quick, competent help is extremely valuable.
Interested parties should look for support that extends from the time of purchase of the Digital Adoption Platform through its implementation to long-term use. Ideally, technical support, implementation help, and application support are included.
What Do Digital Adoption Platforms Cost?
The prices for a platform for software adoption are on average between around ten euros and more than 200 euros per month. On-premise solutions can cost up to 7,000 euros annually.
The expenses vary according to the number of users and the quantity of overlays for software to be introduced. In addition, the general functional scopes are crucial. A program that offers not much more than the possibility of integrating a knowledge database can be obtained relatively cheaply. On the other hand, companies, if they need extensive learning workflows and analytics, have to dig much deeper into their pockets.
Many providers also offer their top software packages as a free trial version or demo. Some solutions can even be used free of charge forever. In this case, however, the functionality is correspondingly limited.