I came across this article that is mostly focused on adopting new technology for farmers but they make many great points on all adoption of anything new to anyone. The article comes from the University of Missouri Extension. It shows a graph of the normal adoption time and talks about how it is curved because of influences from word of mouth. It has the adoption cycle down to : Awareness –> Interest –> Evaluation –> Trial –> Adoption(I had to redo this because the last one didn’t post correctly)
I believe that these are the accurate stages of how most Americans adopt a new technology item. At least it is for myself. I will hear about an item and wait to see if it is of good quality and will be around. Where as my sister doesn’t care and will purchase the newest item because it has to be “the best”. She goes under the notion that newer is always better and I feel that newer doesn’t always mean better. When a new model cell phone comes out, can you talk better on them? Most of the time that is a no, but my sister will buy one because it is the newest and best version. . . or so she thinks. But than after a while, if she talks about how great it is I might become interested in it and go evaluate it for myself. Then you know I will try it and then adopt it if I like it. This process makes sense to me. I do believe that word of mouth has a lot to do with the interest phase of the adoption. Most of the time it is other people that sell me on an item, hence the “salesman”.
They also have a great point about implementation of a new technology. Keep in mind they are talking about farmers and a new solar house for farmers, but it applies to all technology (at least I think so):
A few innovators possibly will have learned about solar hog houses before you and already may have decided to try one. Your educational problem for them becomes one of helping them be successful. That is the normal thing to do anyway, but it is especially important with them because they will serve as demonstrators for others. Another educational opportunity for you is to learn the problems the innovators encounter and how they overcome them. Other farmers would like to know so they can adapt the innovations to their situations.
The key in that quote is that, “your educational problem for them becomes one of helping them be successful”. I think that is the most important thing for implementing technology. You can give anyone an computer, but if they don’t know how to use it or what to do with it, it then becomes useless. I know, my grandmother purchased a computer at the age of 68. She knew enough to know that she wanted information at her fingertips, but didn’t know how to go about getting it. She eventually just gave it to my mom who just plays the games that came on the computer.
So adoption to me needs to be followed up by education on the use. So the support from the company needs to be great if they plan to sell another to that person.
