What follows is an outline of the key factors that have proved invaluable in the creation and execution of real-world M365 Copilot adoption programmes:

1. Work Alongside Users – As stated above, real-world pressures will persist while we’re trying to adopt generative AI. We must take a realistic approach that if users are left to their own devices, they are more than likely to revert to ‘normal working practices’. We must therefore work with users to understand key working practices, demonstrating the ‘new state’ as easy to adopt and better than the ‘previous state’, making the transition as easy as possible. We need to take the onus off the users to discover these new working practices, if we really want to see success. We must work alongside them to trial and find improved, more effective ways of using the technology to improve their working lives and improve productivity on behalf of the organisation.
2. Mental Preparation – Setting users expectations is a fundamental part of managing a change process. Users need to understand 2 key factors which will underpin your ability to drive the desired actions and behaviours:
   i. Understanding the importance of the change – The introduction of AI is not a fad; it is the start of a fundamental shift in workplace technologies and will change working practices over the coming years. For your organisation to fully benefit, users need to understand the importance of this programme to the organisation and its ultimate direction. This understanding will help users unconsciously realise where the adoption of this technology should be placed in their priorities. They must also understand the value to them personally, their role and their skills development.
   ii. Understanding the capabilities and limitation of the technology – With so much in the media about AI, users may have built their own perceptions around what AI is, what it can do and how they can interact with it. Setting out what it can actually do, how it works for the user and what it cannot do will prevent unrealistic expectations which may skew or disappoint. Furthermore, this ‘real world’ view also helps to allay fears and demystify the change for the user.
3. Skills Development – It is vital to recognise that interacting with AI and utilising it successfully requires new skills. These skills must be demonstrated in a way that reflects best practice learning, taking the user on a journey, building new, relevant skills, taught in the context of how users will use the technology in-line with current working practices.
4. Continued Engagement - Continual engagement is imperative. Without regular check-ins, keeping the topic at the forefront of priorities and providing continual reasons for users to stay engaged, we will see interaction decline and users reverting to engrained working practices.
5. Community Creation – Creating a sense of community among the users, developing a togetherness and sharing of ideas, encourages users to take the best from what others have achieved and expand their exploration. This encouragement and recognition that others are being successful is a key factor in driving users’ behaviour.
6. Regular Feedback - Regular feedback sessions with subject matter experts are key to encourage best possible usage. Providing reactive methods of feedback that enable users to engage in their moment of exploration, highlighting what is working and what is not, enables the project team to engage and find improvements.
7. Measurement – Measuring the success of the programme is vital, not waiting to the end to see how users have got on but measuring success throughout the process. Measuring engagement with communications, training, accessing and utilising Copilot across multiple applications, how they’ve used it, time savings and productivity gains all contribute to a rounded picture of the user journey and outcomes for the organisation.
   The reality is that if you truly want to be successful with M365 Copilot, you need a ‘hands-on’ approach. If you just give users access and hope they will automatically adopt the technology, you will find very limited results. M365 Copilot represents a fundamental shift in how users are going to work with technology and how our organisations will operate. Supporting users to identify and adopt improved working practices needs to be treated as a strategic imperative and not just another new app.