Selecting and implementing a system is a critical process for any business. However, one of the biggest challenges isn’t just choosing the right technology—it’s managing expectations from selection to use. Even the best technology systems can feel like failures without proper expectation management.
A Story of Expectations Gone Wrong
A mid-sized construction company called Construction X, eager to modernize its operations, implemented a new cloud-based ERP system.
The leadership team expected the transition to be seamless, assuming the software would instantly improve efficiency without much workflow change. On the other hand, employees feared it would complicate their daily tasks.
During implementation, frustration grew. The system had powerful features, but no one knew how to use them effectively.
Training sessions were rushed or skipped, and communication was sporadic.
Eventually, the project was deemed a failure—not because the system was flawed but because expectations were mismanaged.
This scenario is all too common.
The lesson? Setting, managing, and raising expectations at every stage is critical to project success.
Mismanaged expectations can turn a promising system into a perceived failure, as seen in Construction X’s experience. To avoid this, businesses must take a proactive approach to communication, training, and change management.
