As part of my responsibilities as Director of Canadian Operations at Hedgerow Software, I lead the client services team that works closely with agencies on their environmental health (EH) technology needs. We’ve worked with just about every type of government agency across North America over the last three decades. Recently, a number of EH agencies approached us about being stuck in nightmare implementations with other technology providers. One agency leader even mentioned their implementation has dragged on for over a year with no end in sight!

This got me thinking about why our client implementations at Hedgerow Software are more seamless than other providers. I hope this article helps agencies avoid common pitfalls when implementing EH technology, from the many lessons we’ve learned since 1993.

Tips for Successful Environmental Health Technology Implementations:

1. Define Your Goals and Objectives: Before selecting a provider and starting the implementation process, it's essential to properly define your goals and objectives. What are you trying to achieve? What problems are you trying to solve? Identifying your goals and objectives will help you choose the right provider to meet your organizational needs.
2. Choose the Right Provider: Choosing the right technology provider is critical to the implementation process. Consider factors such as functionality, scalability, ease of use, expertise of the team, and support. Choose the provider that meets your organization's specific needs and don’t forget to ask for references from other agencies.
3. Get Stakeholder Buy-In: Implementing EH technology requires internal support to be successful. Getting leadership and other key stakeholder buy-in is essential for the project's success, as it provides the necessary resources, budget, and internal support needed to implement the technology successfully.
4. Involve Your Team: Involve your team in the implementation process. This will help to identify potential issues and ensure that the software meets the needs of all stakeholders. It also ensures that everyone is on the same page and understands the new processes and procedures.
5. Conduct Adequate Training: Adequate training is crucial for the successful implementation of EH technology. Ensure that your team is trained on how to use the software and its various features. Training should be ongoing and should include new employees and updates to the software.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Environmental Health Technology Implementations

Lack of Planning: The most significant pitfall takes place before the implementation ever begins. Organizations must properly identify their goals, objectives, and the resources needed for the project's success. Without proper planning, the project is likely to miss key milestones or fail.

Hedgerow Recommends: A good technology partner will provide proper guidance on the products needed to achieve the agency’s goals during initial meetings. Ask to see any resources a provider has to help create a better plan.

Insufficient Project Scope: Properly scoping a project is critical because it will help you determine the resources and timeline you’ll need to be successful. A lack of scope can result in being oversold on technology “out of the box” capability and/or implementation services. Be wary of vendors providing abnormally short implementation timelines often called “quick starts” (e.g. 60 days) for complex agency requirements. Ensure you understand what the exact product and service requirements are that you’ll need to be successful.

Hedgerow Recommends: Ask to talk with other agencies that have gone through an implementation with the technology provider. You need to uncover any hidden “gotchas” that lead to additional cost and/or a change in the project timeline.

Resistance to Change: Change management is another pitfall that can derail the implementation process. Implementing new software can be a significant change for employees, and some may resist the change. To avoid this, it's important to involve your team in the process and ensure they understand the benefits of the new technology.

Hedgerow Recommends: Talk with a change management consultant and/or other agencies that have gone through a similar implementation. Remember, when working with a consultant, make sure to include key stakeholders so everyone is heard and you gain collective buy-in across all users.

Poor Data Management: Agencies must ensure that their data is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Especially when porting over data from other systems into the new technology. Failure to do so can lead to low user adoption, process inefficiencies, and frustration from employees, business operators, and citizens.

Hedgerow Recommends: As part of the selection process, understand what approach the technology provider uses to capture and migrate data. This can clear up any confusion about which data needs to move to the new system and which can be left behind.

Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation: Agencies must monitor team adoption and software performance to identify any issues and make necessary adjustments. Failure to do so can result in a lack of support from stakeholders and not getting the best ROI out of your technology investment.

Hedgerow Recommends: During the selection process, understand what the technology provider recommends for keeping users trained and getting new employees up to speed. Training documentation and scheduling virtual and in person sessions (when possible), are two key items that should be uncovered before the implementation begins.

To sum up, implementing EH technology requires careful planning, adequate resources, stakeholder involvement and selecting the best technology provider. By avoiding common pitfalls and following best practices, agencies can achieve their goals that keep our communities safe. Also, if you are feeling trapped in a nightmare implementation, you have options. Connect/message me on LinkedIn and let’s discuss them.