Introducing Technology to Senior Executives: Theory and Practice - A Case Study |-------------------------------------| | Paper presented at CAUSE92 | | December 1-4, 1992, Dallas, Texas | |-------------------------------------| INTRODUCING TECHNOLOGY TO SENIOR EXECUTIVES: THEORY AND PRACTICE--A CASE STUDY James H. Porter Administrative Information Systems The University of Chicago Internet: j-porter@uchicago.edu ABSTRACT Introducing technology to senior executives, whether the technology is networking, electronic mail or an executive information system, requires a special approach. The difficulties are compounded when the executives have little background in information technology and are using their computer, if they have one, as a replacement for a typewriter. At the University of Chicago we recently completed a project with the stated goals of: (1) connecting the University's senior administrators to the campus-wide network, (2) having each executive use electronic mail on a daily basis, and (3) empowering the executives' direct reports through improved communications. Our underlying (and unstated) goals were: (1) to give the executives a successful introduction to technology, (2) through example, to change the campus-wide expectations for technology and electronic mail, and, (3) to lay the foundation for the introduction of additional technology, such as an executive information system. The project was a success. We believe that many of the approaches we used and the lessons learned are applicable when working with executives on any technology project. The presentation will be directed at individuals from institutions with technology unaware senior administrators and will cover our methodology and its underlying theoretical base as well as provide project highlights. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Background At the University of Chicago we recently completed a successful project which introduced networked computing and electronic mail to over fifty of the University's senior administrators and their staff including the: President Provost Vice President for Business and Finance Vice President for University News and Community Affairs Vice President for Administration Secretary of the Board of Trustees Secretary of the Faculty Director, Financial Planning and Budget This important, highly visible project, which was conducted under the sponsorship of the ViceProvost for Information Technology, had a stated goal of providing electronic-mail to the University's senior executives. Other, unstated goals of the project were to increase the executives understanding of technology and to set, through example, expectations for electronic-mail and network use throughout the University. Covered in this paper is a discussion of why we believed our senior executives should be connected to the campus network and use electronic mail, several theories on requirements that must be met before senior executives will use desktop computing, a description of our project organization and its execution, and a description of what we felt were keys to the project's success. At the end of the paper is a short description of the University's networking environment and the networked desktop computing environment we installed for our senior executives. Like many similar technology-based initiatives, the key to success was not in installing the technology but in dealing with many complex hllrnan issues and concerns. The University's senior executives have many demands on their time and were not going to embrace new technology unless it provided a significant return for the time invested in learning its use. Likewise, the executives' support staff was very protective of the executives' time and was not prepared to support the imposition of additional demands upon the executives' and their time unless it would make their daily efforts more productive. There also existed a healthy and understandable skepticism of any new technology. As described below, personal relations, salesmanship, coaching and individualized training and support were key to the project's success. II. WhyNetwork the Executives? Our senior executives, like many of their counterparts at other universities and in industry, have had a limited exposure to desktop- based computing technology. Prior to this project, most were using their desktop computers as typewriter replacements, with their usage limited, for the most part, to word-processing and spreadsheet application packages. While several support staff personnel had dial-up access to mainframe-based central administrative systems, only one senior administrator--out of the fifty personnel covered by this project--used dial-up electronic mail on a regular basis. Our senior executives have also suffered through at least one earlier, unsuccessful attempt to introduce them to electronic mail. The previous introduction provided dial-up electronic mail capability to a small group of about twelve University personnel working on one special project. The introduction failed because the dial-up electronic mail interface was difficult to use and because of the limited user population and resulting low message volume. It was frustrating, according to one participant, to go through the involved dial-in and log-on process time-after-time to find out there was no mail. [FIGURE 1 MISSING: WHY IS EXECUTIVE COMPUTING IMPORTANT?] We believed it was important for our senior executives to be connected to the campus-wide network and to use electronic mail on a daily basis for several reasons, including: ++ The resulting improved communications would increase the executives' effectiveness and, just as important, the effectiveness of the personnel reporting directly to the senior executives. More effective senior executives would lead, we hoped, to a better managed University. ++ Use of the network and electronic mail will lead to a better understanding of technology which will, in turn, lead to senior executives who will be receptive to new technology initiatives. ++ Senior executives using electronic mail will, through example and by setting expectations, lead other University personnel to use electronic mail. III. What Does it Take? Very few senior executives will use new technology just for technology's sake. There has to be a net benefit from using the technology. Figure 2 indicates that we can increase the net benefit from using any technology by increasing the gross benefit or decreasing the required effort. However, as discussed below, a meaningful, easy-to-use system will not always be used. [FIGURE 2 MISSING] For an executive to use any new technology, such as networking, video conferencing, executive information system or electronic mail, the technology must be: Easy to use-- The technology must be easy to learn and use. The less training required the better. For a computer system, a point-and-click environment is preferred to a character interface. Meaningful-- The technology must produce some benefit. The benefit from using the technology must be meaningful to the executive. An executive is not going to waste time using a technology even if it is easy to use. Critical Mass-- In addition to being easy to use and meaningful, a new technology must provide a critical mass of functionality. For example, a networked computer with electronic mail must become so important to the executive that he or she will turn it on the first thing in the morning, leave it on all day and routinely use it during the day. We addressed the ease of use and meaningful applications requirements by providing a "point and click" microcomputer-based electronic mail system. The critical mass requirement was addressed as follows: ++ Every effort was made to connect all direct reports and their staffs to electronic mail. We analyzed the organization to identify the groups that reported directly to each executive. We then worked with these direct report organizations to assist them in connecting to the campus network and to begin using electronic-mail. We accomplished this by providing training and consulting support, giving demonstrations, supervising contractors, pulling network wiring, establishing a telephone bridge to link remote local area networks to the campus backbone, and, in general, doing whatever was required to make each direct report unit a successful electronic-mail user. ++ We increased the skill level of support staff personnel by providing individual and formal training in computing fundamentals, word processing applications, and e-mail. Increased skills, we believed, would lead to increased usage. ++ Electronic-mail was introduced to an administrator only when: (1) his or her secretary was ready to provide day-to-day technical support for the administrator, and (2) all of his or her direct reports were available via electronic- mail. Timing was key. For each administrator, we designed the process to have in place a dynamic, active group of e-mail users, including all direct reports, before he or she was connected to the network. In several instances we used the administrator's anticipated e-mail use to co-opt nonusers into the network (setting expectations) and then, once they were in, used the direct reports using e-mail as a way to set expectations for the senior administrator. III. Project Organization This project was sponsored by the Associate Provost for Computing. The project team included representatives from the University's administrative and academic computing organizations as well as representatives from Telecommunications and Campus-networking organizations. The project had two major thrusts as indicated in Figure 3. The main effort covered installing the network in the executive offices, activating electronic mail, training, etc. Just as important was a parallel effort to get each executive's direct reports connected to the network and using electronic mail. As mentioned above, having these direct reports available through electronic-mail was key to building the critical mass of electronic-mail users required to make the project successful. [FIGURE 3 MISSING] We first determined the executives' direct reports and support staff. We next analyzed each executives' communication patterns by determining who he or she communicated with. We then took whatever steps were necessary to get those people to use electronic mail and to make their efforts successful. Within the executive offices we engaged in a lengthy and extensive series of personal contacts with support staff, including: ++ Initial missionary contacts and demonstrations. We had many repeat, informal sessions with the individual executive secretaries, executive assistants, and senior staff personnel. These initial visits included describing the network and electronic-mail and discussing how it could be used. Individual demonstrations of electronic-mail were arranged for the Provost's and President's assistants as well as for others who indicated more than a passing interest. These demonstrations were staged to simulate the executive's office environment with, for example, electronicmail address books and simulated electronic-mail messages in place, waiting for the executive's assistant. In many instances we had several Computing Center personnel participate in the demonstrations by playing electronic-mail various roles such as President, Provost, etc. Establishing a presence and learning personnel. We established a relationship with every person in the executive offices. We learned their names, their job, their computing skills and experience, their desktop computing environment, etc. ++ Skill survey and training. We used a formal survey supplemented by direct personal contact to determine each person's computing skills. Formal and individual training was designed to improve each person's basic computing skills and their use of word-processing, spreadsheets and other common desktop computing tools. Interestingly, our one formal training session, which utilized a skilled, experienced external instructor who presented a special course tailored for the participants was rated by all participants as a failure. Possible reasons for the course's failure include: (1) the participants, who were accustomed to our individual instruction and coaching, were not properly prepared to benefit from a group session; (2) none of the participants had previously attended a desktop computing training course and may not have known what to expect; (3) pacing of the course may have been too slow, leading to frustration; or, (4) the participants did not feel they gained sufficient new knowledge to warrant being away from their office for a full day. ++ Side-by-side problem solving and coaching. We worked with each person to help them increase their computing skills and to do a better job. Where appropriate we introduced them to new tools, such as spreadsheets or access to services available via the network. We also assisted in establishing remote connections to the University's central administrative systems, improving filing systems, developing new manual procedures, etc. We were also involved in training new personnel when there was staff turnover. ++ Individual introduction of network and electronic mail. Once the network was operational, we connected users to the network in groups--usually based on the LaserWriter they were using. Once the connection was complete, we gave the network several weeks to settle-in. We then installed electronic mail over several days based upon the same work group approach used to connect to the network. Each person was shown how to use electronic-mail as it was being installed on their desktop computer. ++ Informal sessions, demonstrations and contests. Once electronic mail was installed, we worked to make sure it was understood and used. We held individual refresher sessions and demonstrations. To increase initial usage of the 'enclosure' feature, we held several contests. For example, the most original enclosure sent to the author won a prize. For the two weeks following installation we visited each person on a daily basis to see how things were going, to answer questions and to provide instructions on advanced features. ++ Identify and train local experts. Within the senior executive's organization we identified several persons who are the unofficial designated technical resource persons. These are members of the staff that have an interest and skill in desktop computing, can answer many of the routine questions that arise on a daily basis and can do the initial trouble shooting when problems occur. (Is it plugged in?) ++ Recruit and train an electronic-mail administrator. The electronic-mail package we installed requires a person to administer the electronic-mail server. This entails adding users, verifying performance, identifying problems, answering questions, reviewing logs, etc. We were fortunate to have a talented and skilled staff member volunteer to assume this responsibility. While this person has no formal technical training, she does an excellent job of administering the system--which literally requires only minutes each day. In addition to her electronic-mail administration responsibilities, she also administers the remote backups of all executive and staff computers. ++ Introduce senior executives to electronic-mail. Once the executive's primary assistant was sufficiently skilled to answer basic questions that the executive might ask as he or she was beginning to learn to use electronic-mail, we introduced electronicmail to the executive. This usually required about an hour of the executive' s time and included an overview of the network and electronic-mail, a discussion of how it could be incorporated in the executive's daily routine and hands-on training in actually using electronic-mail. Prior to each session, in cooperation with the executive's assistant, we developed and installed electronic-mail address books for the executive, and had several direct reports and the assistant send actual electronic- mail messages. ++ Review mail-server logs for problems. The electronic-mail package we installed produced daily logs of all messages sent and received. We monitored these logs daily for several months to identify and correct problems. The logs are now monitored by the electronic-mail administrator on a daily basis. ++ Frequent contact, priority response. We continue to maintain periodic contact with all electronic-mail users covered by this project. We are also the first persons called when there is a problem with the network or electronic mail within the executives' local network. Needless to say, these problems get a priority response. IV. Conclusions The project was highly successful. All of the University's senior executives use electronic-mail on a daily basis. Several have incorporated electronic-mail into their daily routines, such that they find it almost impossible to function on the rare occasions when it is not available. We believe that through the use of electronic-mail our senior executives will be receptive to the introduction of new technology and to technology-enabled organizational changes. However, only time will tell. TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES * Desktop computers: Most executives and support staff have Macintosh computers (50) with a few IBM PC clones (6). * Local area network: The local networking capability is provided by Farallon's PhoneNet with a Farallon Star Controller. A Shiva FastPath provides the link between AppleTalk and Ethernet. The FastPath has been set to make the executives' local network invisible to the rest of the campus. With the local network invisible, it impossible for someone in the executive offices to inadvertently print on a printer outside of the executives' local network. It is also impossible for someone outside the local network to have access to file servers and other resources on the local network. Dantz's Retrospect Remote is used for Macintosh backup over the network. * Network wiring: The University's standard wiring scheme at the time this network was installed was a cable containing four twisted pair of 22 gage copper wire. This wiring provides us the capability of upgrading to Ethernet over 10BaseT in the future. * Campus network: TCP/IP over fiber. * Electronic mail: CE Software's QuickMail. Cayman's GatorMail-Q provides the gateway between QuickMail and TCP/IP. The mail server is a Macintosh IIci with an uninterruptable power supply.