FACT CHECKED
What do a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) and furniture polish have in common?
Nothing. But they both do exactly what they say on the tin.
Think about it. A DAP is platform to help with digital adoption.
But if you’re hunting for a digital adoption platform definition, you probably want the best one. The most accurate definition. Not just guesswork or someone’s opinion.
“Digital Adoption Platform” was a term first used by WalkMe. So their website is the best place to start.
What is digital adoption?
But first, let’s begin with the definition of digital adoption:
“Achieving a state in which digital tools are being used as intended, and to their fullest extent.”
As WalkMe points out, it’s about “more than just basic functions.” Digital adoption happens “when technology becomes second nature to its user.”
For employees, digital adoption is successful when they’re using digital systems to complete back-end processes. Not only that, they’re using them comfortably and productively.
If your users are customers, digital adoption is complete when they are totally aware of all the features of your digital tools. And they’re receiving the benefits of using them.
Most modern organizations will have users that are employees and customers. Onboarding them will be an important part of their digital transformation.
For example, digital adoption is huge in healthcare right now. If you search “digital health adoption”, you’ll find tons of news articles and statistics showing it’s the future of healthcare. Patients today want to be able to manage their health digitally.
“…digital health is empowering us to better track, manage, and improve our own and our family’s health, live better, more productive lives, and improve society. Paul Sonnier
Similarly, digital adoption is taking off in the banking industry. Business and personal banking customers want to be able to manage their accounts and perform transactions using digital tools.
“The urgency of acting is acute. Banks have three to five years at most to become digitally proficient.” McKinsey
It’s the same story whether your organization is telecommunications, utilities, government, or retail.
WalkMe’s Digital Adoption Platform definition
WalkMe provides a great definition of their DAP in the video below.
“WalkMe’s Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) is a guidance layer that is added on top of any existing website, software or online platform.
“The layer simplifies the user experience and guides users to task completion with on-screen Walk-Thrus. These dynamic step-by-step instructions streamline software implementation on any other online platform.”
“This dramatically increases the speed of new technology adoption within your organization.” WalkMe
So the DAP is an AI trainer that helps you out when you’re using digital systems.
There’s no need to call the Support Desk, or ask the person next to you, or sit through a lengthy classroom training. The DAP provides all the information you need, when you need it.
How does the DAP work?
This is a bit like asking how Google works.
Like Google, the DAP is algorithmic. So the only people who know exactly how it works are those who write the algorithm.
But in terms of your digital adoption platform definition, it works by using a combination of analytics, machine learning, and automation.
“[The DAP] ensures adoption by simplifying any software — or perhaps user experience — through insights, engagement and guidance. [It offers] contextual guidance, task automation and proactive support at the exact moment of need.
“Powered by AI and machine learning, WalkMe’s DAP analyzes usage patterns to pinpoint obstacles and anticipate user action.” WalkMe
So not only does the DAP help you to adopt digital tools, it also boosts your productivity using them.
More than just digital adoption
In actual fact, there should be something added to our Digital Adoption Platform definition. But it’s more of an additional benefit or outcome of using the DAP, rather than part of what it is.
According to WalkMe customer, HP Indigo, the DAP has allowed their business to become more innovative.
“In general, what happened was [the DAP] became a tool of innovation. … Using WalkMe applications, my team has been able to innovate things that we never would have even tried to look at before.
“The outcome has been that my organization has actually developed a reputation as being the innovators. … It’s all because WalkMe opened up a whole array of new options and ideas of how we could change and do things differently.” Richard Gines, HP
So the DAP is also a tool that enables innovation.
If digital adoption is the “single most important factor for a digital tool to become a digital asset” — then the DAP is the most important tool.
