Microsoft 365 Copilot is transforming how organisations manage day-to-day tasks, fostering improved productivity and efficiency. However, before diving into the implementation, it’s crucial for organisations to gauge their readiness – both technically and from a people perspective.
In this blog, Employee Experience Solution Expert, Dan Robinson, will guide you through understanding the scale of readiness, assessing both technical and personal aspects, and why expert assistance can be pivotal for a smooth transition.
How can Microsoft 365 Copilot help businesses?
Copilot is a personal productivity artificial intelligence (AI) solution integrated within Microsoft 365 applications, tailored to assist users based on the specific needs of each application. It enhances how individuals manage their workflows, offering support in areas such as organisation, creativity, and drafting.
However, it’s important to understand that in order to make Copilot a success, you need to ensure that your organisation is ready to implement an AI assistant. Readiness for Copilot is multifaceted, encompassing both technical and personal dimensions.
What is the scale of readiness?
Readiness for Copilot isn’t just about having the right technology in place. It also involves preparing your people for a new way of working. Copilot can enhance the willingness of individuals to try and innovate, but it also requires understanding how prepared your organisation is both technically and personally.
Technical readiness for AI
Technical readiness involves ensuring that Copilot can access the data it needs to function effectively. What are the main considerations for your organisation?
Data accessibility and integration
Copilot interacts with data within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, such as SharePoint. If your data isn’t already within this platform, you’ll need to evaluate whether connectors or a significant data migration is necessary. Copilot works best when it can see the data you want the platform to interact with. Whether connectors are needed or a big migration is required, this is a foundational step.
Data quality and security
The state of your data is another vital aspect. Issues such as oversharing and under-securing data are common challenges. The state of the data, whether it’s correct or secure, plays a huge role. Garbage in, garbage out – an audit might be necessary to ensure the data is fit for purpose.
Proof of concept (POC)
For many organisations, starting with a POC can be insightful. Some organisations start a POC to explore what Copilot can do with their existing data, getting ahead of concerns about oversharing. Copilot also has guardrails to stop questions that may surface unsecured or overshared data, which might be sufficient for initial stages.
People readiness for AI
Generative AI like Copilot represents a shift in work methodologies. Preparing your people is just as crucial as technical readiness. Here’s what you can do.
Understanding AI usage and fear
It’s important to understand the current level of AI usage and any existing fears or misconceptions about AI within your team. A lot of the conversation around the initial release of Chat-GPT also steered towards job security concerns.
From popular culture, people have historically been given a negative perception of AI, with robots that have been often painted as villains. On the other hand, helpful AI characters tend to be comic relief – take the Terminator vs Star Wars’ C-3PO.
You’ve got to break through that to work out where the fear is and start to understand from a people point of view who is willing to start working on this. Addressing these fears and providing education on the benefits of AI can help mitigate resistance and foster a more accepting environment.
Encouraging people to embrace change
Not only is it crucial to change how people think of AI – it also requires a change in how people work. You can start with a representative group of initial users from across your organisation. Copilot is an enhancer, so it will only enhance the willingness of those that want to innovate.
Choose individuals who are keen to try new technologies and have the space to do so. These individuals can help drive wider adoption and create a positive impact across your business, while also helping you to understand current workflows and how Copilot can help.
Identifying influential super users
Within your groups of initial users, identify those who can serve as your Copilot influencers. Are they pushing the boundaries of their roles? If they already embrace new technologies with enthusiasm, Copilot will make them more effective and serve as internal influencers for broader adoption. A group of Copilot super users can be a great influence to encourage other teams to follow suit. This can help you drive wider adoption and create a positive impact on your Copilot rollout.
Assess your readiness
To effectively gauge your Copilot readiness in both the technical and people aspects, consider the following questions and how they apply to your organisation.
Can Copilot access your data?
Evaluate the current state of your data infrastructure. Are your files and databases stored within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem or accessible through reliable connectors? Determine the scope of any required data migration and identify potential bottlenecks in data accessibility.
How confident are you in the security, validity, and accuracy of your data?
Conduct a thorough data audit to ensure that your data is clean, up-to-date, and properly secured. Identify and address any inconsistencies or security vulnerabilities. Implement best practices for data governance to maintain data integrity.
Is your organisation ready for the change that Copilot will bring?
Assess the organisational culture and readiness for adopting new technologies. Are your employees open to change? Consider running surveys or focus groups to gauge sentiment and identify areas where additional training or support may be required.
Do you have individuals who are willing and able to experiment with Copilot?
Identify key stakeholders and innovators within your organisation who are eager to test Copilot. These individuals can serve as champions and early adopters, helping to drive broader acceptance and utilisation throughout the company.
Can you allocate time for these individuals to test and innovate with Copilot?
Ensure that your team has the bandwidth to engage with Copilot without compromising their primary responsibilities. Allocate time and resources for training, experimentation, and feedback collection.
Is your POC group representative of your entire organisation?
Select a diverse group of users from different departments and roles to participate in the POC. This ensures that Copilot’s benefits and potential challenges are assessed across various operational contexts, providing a comprehensive understanding of its impact.
What are your next steps?
This all depends on your individual readiness – if you can’t make an accurate assessment of this yourself, getting the help of a Microsoft partner can make this easier. Depending on where you land on the readiness scale, there are a number of actions you could take to improve on either the people or technical side.
Assess your data policy
From a technical standpoint, it’s crucial to assess your data policy. If you don’t have one, start by determining where your data will reside and what your data policy will be moving forward. If you already have a data policy, evaluate how far along you are in the process. Do you need help with migrations? Are you planning to handle migrations internally? Consider the connectors available to integrate Copilot or your chosen generative AI with your existing data. Determine whether these connectors exist, if you need a third party, or if you can build them in-house. Also, think about the maintenance of these connectors and where you stand in this process.
If you’re just beginning, bringing in a third-party like Advania can be a resource-efficient way to get started. Our experts can handle the work without the constraints that your internal team might face, such as balancing ongoing IT operations with new projects.
From an organisational perspective, having an external party can also be beneficial. Internal team members might hesitate to provide honest feedback due to internal politics or agendas. An external party can offer an unbiased viewpoint.
Experiment and evaluate
Additionally, identifying internal influencers who can drive change is essential. These influencers can help with the viral adoption of new technologies like generative AI. Once you have your influencers, think about common use cases and ensure your influencer group is diverse and representative of your organisation. This diversity will help you understand how different roles can benefit from Copilot. For example, in a team of ten, you might want to provide five licences to those who are most likely to maximise the benefits of Copilot.
The next phase is experimentation. Obtain some licences and start experimenting. This phase can quickly reveal whether your data is ready, as users will report any issues they encounter. This approach can be more efficient than a deep dive analysis.
Finally, consider “Copilot for You” sessions. These sessions provide an introduction to Copilot from an individual perspective, covering not only the technology but also how it can benefit each user. They include prompt training to help users write effective prompts for generative AI, ensuring they get the most out of the technology.
Ensure you’re ready for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Maximising the benefits of Microsoft 365 Copilot requires a comprehensive understanding of your organisation’s readiness. We know that organisations that plan for change, encompassing both technical and people-focused aspects, have a smoother transition to Copilot.
At Advania, we offer support across all areas – technical and personal – to help your organisation navigate this transformative journey. Remember, not everyone will need a Copilot licence, but those who do can significantly enhance their productivity and innovation capabilities. By preparing thoroughly and making the most of expert assistance, you can ensure a successful integration of Copilot into your daily operations, paving the way for a more efficient and innovative future.
