When we develop and introduce systems, we need people to use them — the end users. We have always been told to win them over, so as to receive their cooperation and to take our systems ashore. I have spent a lifetime trying to understand them; but they (the end users) have been an enigma. I have tried all tricks in the book but have not succeeded in wooing them enough. I would smile at them, wish them in the morning and at the end of the day, greet them on their birthdays, take them out for a drink and dinner and would even applaud their unimpressive work. Though I had learnt to deal with the Board members and CEOs, I never could conquer this last frontier – the abominable end-user.

Profiling of end users

I had initiated a research to understand this segment of humans but couldn’t get very far. I will submit my thesis some day but for now I will share the profiling of end users that I have drawn based on my experiences with them. The user types are based on their behavioral pattern:

1. Users who oppose due to force of habit: There is a class of users who are generally unhappy with the world. They have problems with the company’s vision and mission statements, the work style, and ways of the world. A new system therefore sounds very alien to them. Befriending them is a losing proposition as you will have to stay put listening to their woes but they would not oblige you in return.

2. Those who bargain for a new printer or PC replacement: Very clever users these, who clearly set a precondition suggesting that they need a printer or that their old PC needs a replacement. Even if you inform them of these not being due for replacement as per company policies or practice, they wouldn’t budge and expect you to find a way out. When you think you have struck a bargain, they would come up with additional demands for their PA or an assistant. This battle has never been won.

3. Ideas have to originate from them: These users have very ripe minds and may have attended a course or two on breakthrough thinking or innovation. All ideas put to them are not palatable as their mind factory is busy thinking of new ideas. All your suggestions therefore hit a wall and bounce back at you. In fact, after such experiences, I had often felt like going through a counseling session myself.

4. Dislike for anything desi: We have heard of the ‘phoren’ craze. Such people go head over heels to acquire something that is imported and take pride in showing off their possessions to mark their status in the society. Similar are these users to whom in-house solutions appeal little and they always look for help from large IT service companies, and are also fans of the outsourcing model. When they move around with other professionals in the industry, they proudly announce their moves and stake a claim of being pioneers. May God save them!

5. Opinions of their spouses and children matter: It is not uncommon to find users who have their spouses working in an IT company, with a service provider or in the IT department of an end user company. Recommend whatever you may, but it is the ideas expressed by their spouses/ children that matter. Spouses/ children often speak from their own context and what has worked for them may or may not be suitable, but the user is always steadfast in his stand and can’t let down his own people at home. Poor fellow, his dilemma is understandable.

6. Have a friend or relative as a vendor: This vested interest is generally not apparent on the surface; but a sustained line of his thinking is often discernible. The end user of course will be unhappy with the technology you have chosen, the hardware/software bought or the service provider appointed. Even if we bulldoze and get through the first stage, we face hurdles at every step with complaints pouring in on every issue and the user would want a replacement. The hidden agenda then gets clearer but in the absence of evidence, the matter is put to rest.

7. One-upmanship: Some users are very smart; some of them are from premier management institutes and some are those who have worked with blue chip companies. You may not be listened to; but will have to sit and hear them out on what they think are the best practices and how IT is run in X, Y, and Z companies. Your passionate explanation of the proposed solution and possible outcomes get intelligently deflected and you come back bruised and battered.

The end-user story therefore is very significant and needs adequate thought and care. I am not talking of organization politics here; but of great characters that loom large in our work environment. We give the issue various names such as user resistance, user involvement, change management, empowerment etc., but the battle still remains unconquered. As someone said, human behavior study is still an imperfect science.

At this point, the CIO faces a dichotomy. The CEO sends the message that since the CIO got what he advocated for, he should manage the show. This means that the CIO should lead the project and make it successful. Now that the trap is set for him, the CIO picks up the bait.

Now comes the critical question—is the ERP just an extension of the other software packages that the CIO has been running? Since the ERP is another software, is the CIO is obligated to run the show? Many CIOs are possessive, and don’t want to hand over the mantle to someone else. He takes up the challenge, and in many a case, struggles to keep his head above water. Why does this happen?

The rest of the organization perceives of ERP as just another IT project. As a result, they pass on all privileges and responsibilities to the CIO. Now, the poor CIO has to live up to the generated expectations. Therefore, he proceeds ahead with the sole purpose of getting the ERP to run and generate promised reports. The organization does not get much out of its investment, and the CEO is obviously not very happy.

It’s not too difficult to find the reasons in such situations. An ERP project is more about helping businesses to run efficiently, rather than being a mere software implementation. Therefore, it calls for a greater participation from the business. Since an ERP implementation’s scope extends to improving business processes and generating better quality of information, various business heads (as process owners) have to come forward and take ownership for their respective areas. If there is so much play at the business level, is it not prudent to call in someone from business to head the project?

On this front, I will share my experiences with you. After having persuaded the management to introduce ERP in the organization (in 1998), I suddenly found myself in this familiar position. The CEO gave me the go ahead to start the project. I took the courage to tell him that this project’s head should be from business, along with the suggestion that he speaks to the ERP vendor as well as the implementation partner for advice. So the CEO searched for people within the organization based on this suggested profile, but not finding a suitable person, he reverted back to me and suggested that I fill the position.

I had then set two conditions for accepting this offer–first, that he should announce ERP as a business project, and not an IT project. Next was the clarification that I was chosen since I was the most suitable for that position—not because of my IT connection. These moves worked wonders, as the perception of the organization to this ERP project changed, and thereafter we received good support from everyone.