When organizations think about transformation, the focus often lands on technology. A shiny new system promises efficiency, automation, and streamlined processes. But without a solid foundation of change management, training, and instructional design, even the best technology can become an expensive mistake.
"People often think they can handle training internally. However, they tend to underestimate the complexity of designing and delivering effective learning experiences," says Rebecca DeSantis, Director, Instructional Design & Digital Adoption at RiseNow. " While subject matter experts have deep expertise in their field, they often lack the skills to translate that knowledge into effective, scalable learning solutions. Organizations should incorporate instructional design principles not only to engage users but also ensure measurable outcomes, leading to real adoption and meaningful transformation."
Why Change Management and Instructional Design Matter
At its core, change management is about helping organizations navigate transitions—whether that’s implementing new technology, restructuring operations, or shifting strategies. It ensures that the people affected by these changes are prepared, supported, and ultimately empowered to embrace the new way of working.
Instructional design, on the other hand, is more than basic training and knowledge transfer. It’s about planning, designing, and structuring meaningful learning experiences that ensure user engagement and deliver measurable learning outcomes. As a result, it drives behavior change, ensuring that employees don’t just know what to do—they actually know how do it and why it is important.
As Amber Randall, RiseNow’s Director, Change Management, explains, "When people set out to initiate change, they often don’t understand what their future state is supposed to be. It’s not just about launching a new system—it’s about defining success, bringing people along with the process, and making sure adoption actually happens."
Why Do Organizations Skip Change Management and Training—and What’s the Danger?
If everyone knows change management and training are critical, why do so many organizations sideline them?
One reason is the illusion of simplicity. Leaders often assume that informing employees about changes and offering a training session will suffice. "People think communication and basic training check the box," Amber points out. "But they miss translating those business objectives into how it will affect users’ day-to-day lives. Without that, adoption rates plummet."
Cost-cutting is another common culprit. Rebecca warns, "When budgets get tight, training is often the first thing to go. But cutting training means cutting back on user readiness—leaving teams unprepared to adopt the new system effectively, resulting in lower adoption rates, process inefficiencies, and higher support costs."
The result? Employees create workarounds, ignore new workflows, or worse—abandon the system altogether. This lack of preparation can lead to failed implementations, wasted investments, and frustration across the organization.
How Companies Should Be Thinking About Change Management and Instructional Design
The organizations that get it right think about change management and instructional design as integrated, ongoing processes—not one-time events.
Amber offers a clear example from the procurement world: "Let’s say a company wants to realize cost savings—ensuring purchases align with agreed-upon pricing with strategic suppliers. That’s a great objective, but it’s not enough to just set up a system. You need to analyze what users are buying, understand their needs, and build catalogs that guide them toward the right purchases."
This means diving deep into analytics, understanding supplier capabilities, and designing systems that make compliance intuitive. It’s not just about automation—it’s about human-centered design.
On the training side, Rebecca emphasizes the importance of ongoing support and solutions that scale over one-off events: "Instructor-led training can be effective, but it’s often treated like an event before go live. People need just-in-time resources—quick reference guides, short videos, or digital adoption platforms that help them in the moment."
She recalls a successful collaboration with one of RiseNow’s manufacturing clients, where instructional design teams from both sides worked in tandem: "It was a true partnership—both teams were deeply involved, and that alignment made the training far more effective and consistent." This kind of integration is rare but crucial for meaningful adoption and for long-term training sustainability.
At RiseNow, change management and instructional design aren’t afterthoughts—they’re woven into every phase of a project.
"We don’t just help organizations communicate change—we help them translate big goals into tangible actions that impact every user," says Amber. That means defining success metrics upfront, creating strategies that measure adoption over time, and ensuring that every team member understands how the change affects their role.
Rebecca highlights RiseNow’s unique approach to training: "We design blended learning solutions that consider different user types—whether they’re power users or occasional users—and provide ongoing support that extends well beyond go-live."
Leadership buy-in is another key factor. "Too often, transformation is seen as just a procurement or IT initiative," Amber says. "We help leaders across the business see how these changes affect their teams—and that buy-in from the top is essential for true adoption."
Parting Advice for Procurement and Supply Chain Leaders
Amber’s advice is straightforward: "How are you measuring your objectives and expected outcomes? You need tangible metrics—both post-go-live and throughout the life of the project—to truly gauge success."
Rebecca’s counsel is just as practical: "Don’t cut corners on training to save money—it will cost you more in the long run. Training needs to be process-oriented, sustained over time, and regularly updated to keep pace with system changes."
Ready to Make Change Stick?
The difference between a successful transformation and a failed one often comes down to how well you support your people through change. At RiseNow, we don’t just help organizations implement systems—we help them embed lasting change, empowering teams to adopt new tools confidently and effectively.
Whether you're looking to refine your change management approach, enhance your training strategies, or ensure your digital adoption sticks long after go-live, we're here to help.
Let’s start a conversation about how RiseNow can support your next transformation.
