When a technological innovation is introduced, not everyone adopts it at the same moment. Rather, there will be innovators and there will also be late adopters. This concept, known as diffusion of innovation, is the study of how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through different organizational settings. According to the diffusion of innovation, people fall into five basic groups, known as the standard technology adoption curve coined by Rogers, 1995,¹ and characterized as follows:

Innovators

• 3% of population
• enamored by innovations
• love technology for what it is as much as what it can do
• cross-disciplinary skills

Early Adopters

• 10 - 14% of population
• combine interest in technology with desire to use it to solve problems in their area of expertise
• risk takers
• self-sufficient with technology skills
• cross-disciplinary skills

Early Majority Adopters

• 34% of population
• personally comfortable with technology
• tend to wait until applications are proven before adopting them
• prefer gradual over radical transitions

Late Adopters

• 34% of population
• less comfortable with technology
• prefer to work only with Off-the-Shelf applications

Late Late Adopters

• 15% of population
• least likely to ever use technology on their own
• may be antagonistic towards the use of innovations of others

To further understand how to reach users across each adoption curve, the following strategies² can be applied:

1. Strategies to Reach Early Adopters
   • Create mechanism for input. Invite their opinions and criticism; however, once a decision has been made, the debate is over.
   • Involve people who will actually be using the system early and often.
   • One approach to training will not fit all users. Vary trainings to match skill levels. Experienced users will be frustrated in a basic training.
   • Provide rewards and incentives for Early Adopters too. Trinkets and recognition for acquiring technology skills and comp time for taking classes to upgrade skills will help keep them with your organization.
2. Strategies to Reach Late Adopters
   • Clarify the bottom line. Help them understand that using technology will provide gains in quality services to children, family, and staff.
   • Deliver a complete package. Late adopters don't have time to 'mess around' and figure things out for themselves. They want a tested, refined, & perfected product.
   • Speak their language. Do not use 'techno' lingo, fads and fashions--or take time to define them.
   • Offer continual support. Ongoing support is more important than classes and training.
   • Emphasize teams. In small groups of mixed abilities and styles the reluctant may be won over by the impressive discoveries realized while exploring with a group of peers.
   • Find out what turns them on. People are most able to 'buy in' when their personal passions and interest are at stake.
   • Provide rewards and incentives. Trinkets and recognition for acquiring technology skills and comp time for taking classes on their own time will help motivate staff.
   • Don't rely on early adopters of technology alone to plan for late adopters. Plan with staff that represent a variety of skills and learning styles.

   ---

   • ¹ Rogers, E.M. (1995) Diffusion of Innovations. 4^th Edition. Free Press, NY. [back]
   • ² McKenzie, J. (1999). How Teachers Learn Technology Best. FNO Press, WA. [back]