
Ask HN: How do you get users to use software? - andrewtbham
I develop ERP software for companies internal use. Sometimes the software makes the user&#x27;s life easier and they quickly start using it and are happy.<p>Other times the software introduces more process, more accountability, less autonomy. In these cases, the users complain endlessly that the software is too complicated. The clients in turn blame us when the users refuse to use it or find work arounds.<p>I feel like this is a management problem and not a software problem. But I don&#x27;t know what to tell these managers to incentivize their workers to use the software.<p>I need practical recommendations, but it would also be nice to have an authoritative source for recommendations.
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warent
It will vary from manager to manager depending on their level and the
individual personality, but just remember the golden rule that generally
speaking all middle management is looking to either advance their position in
the company or at least better their standing within it. With that in mind it
makes life much easier because now you just have to communicate your product
to that end.

Find out the goals of the managers' bosses, and prepare a small brief of
empirical evidence that explains that you understand what their bosses want
and how your product can help meet those needs. If you are skillful enough,
you should try to communicate this in a way so that you only provide just
enough info and indirect hinting that they arrive at the conclusion on their
own rather than you giving them a conclusion. Remember the second golden rule
that humans are fundamentally emotional. If you provide all the answers for
them and they dont know you or trust you, they're more likely to just dismiss
it all regardless.

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JohnFen
I have found that users, especially in a business setting, will happily adopt
new software as long as the benefits of using that software exceed the pain of
adopting it.

> In these cases, the users complain endlessly that the software is too
> complicated. The clients in turn blame us when the users refuse to use it or
> find work arounds.

This reaction sounds a lot like the software is incurring more cost on the
users than benefit.

Are you sure that the software is not, in fact too complicated? Are you sure
that the companies using your software aren't misusing it in a way that
increases complexity and cost to the actual users?

> I feel like this is a management problem and not a software problem.

Why do you think this? You haven't gone into enough detail for me to really
know, but it sounds to me like the software is either too complicated or
foreign to the users, or that the software is being used in an inappropriate
way.

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andrewtbham
The benefits to the low level end users don't exceed the pain. The benefits
accrue to the upper level managers. For the low level end users it is

> more process, more accountability, less autonomy

It is complicated. It is foreign to the users.

The question is how do you incentivize workers to adopt software that makes
their live more difficult, but helps hold them more accountable and with less
autonomy. They often make decisions that make their life easier but lose money
for the company.

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actionowl
> users complain endlessly that the software is too complicated.

Try to solve that problem? I realize I'm over simplifying it but have you
really done everything you can to simply and streamline the software for the
user?

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andrewtbham
yes i am 100% positive.

