Use and Adoption of IBM Connections: State of the Market...

Use$and$Adop+on$of$IBM$Connec+ons!State!of!the!Market!4Q2014!

Michael!Sampson!

Executive)Summary)The$Michael$Sampson$Company$conducted$a$2014$survey$in$late$

September$to$mid<October$on$the$use$and$adoption$of$IBM$Connections$

among$end<user$organizations$around$the$world.$The$purpose$of$the$

survey$was$to$understand$the$current$state$of$the$market$and$uncover$

the$critical$issues$for$focus$in$future$years.$There$were$58$valid$survey$

responses,$with$66%$of$respondents$being$decision$makers$for$IBM$

Connections$at$their$organizations.$40%$of$respondents$represented$

organizations$with$10,000$or$more$employees.$Participation$was$declined$

by$13$respondents.$

$

IBM$Connections$can$be$used$to$support$many$collaborative$and$social$

business$activities.$Social$activities$are$among$the$most$highly$used$in$

organizations,$with$Distributing$Team$and$Organizational$Updates$in$first$

place.$Organizations$that$have$been$using$IBM$Connections$for$more$than$

two$years$have$a$higher$focus$on$using$IBM$Connections$for$more$hard<

nosed$business$activities.$In$addition,$these$longer<term$customers$have$

more$employees$using$IBM$Connections$across$a$variety$of$scenarios.$$

$

Respondents$expect$increased$usage$of$IBM$Connections$by$employees$

over$the$next$12$months.$

$

The$majority$of$organizations$are$currently$using$IBM$Connections$4.5$or$

5.0$(the$two$most$recent$versions).$Most$organizations$plan$to$upgrade$to$

Connections$5.0$within$the$next$12$months.$Updated$mobile$apps,$

support$for$secure$external$access$to$IBM$Connections,$and$search$in$the$

Activity$Stream$in$Connections$5.0$are$highly$valued$by$respondents.$

$

Half$of$respondents$are$using$one$or$more$add<on$products$to$extend$the$

base$capabilities$of$IBM$Connections.$The$three$leading$independent$

software$vendors$offering$add<on$products$for$IBM$Connections$are$ISW$

Development$(with$Kudos),$Trilog$Group,$and$TimeToAct.$There$is$also$

strong$use$of$IBM$Docs,$an$add<on$from$IBM$that$provides$online$

document$editors.$

$

Respondents$have$a$high$level$of$satisfaction$with$IBM$Connections,$and$

a$high$propensity$to$recommend$IBM$Connections$to$others.$The$majority$

of$respondents$are$somewhat$satisfied$or$neutral$about$the$business$

value$their$organization$has$achieved$from$using$IBM$Connections.$

$

Organizations$experience$a$range$of$problems$with$the$use$of$IBM$

Connections.$The$most$significant$problem$is$encouraging$people$to$use$

IBM$Connections$in$their$work.$The$second$most$significant$problem$is$

understanding$the$business$value$of$IBM$Connections.$The$third$is$

securing$executive$support$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections.$

$

Every$respondent$says$their$organization$will$continue$to$use$IBM$

Connections.$No$organizations$are$actively$considering$alternative$

products.$

$

Use and Adoption of IBM Connections: State of the Market 4Q2014 Michael Sampson

© The Michael Sampson Company Limited Page 1

Table)of)Contents)Use$and$Adoption$of$IBM$Connections:$About$the$Survey$....................................$3$$ 1.1$Respondents—58$Valid$Survey$Responses$(36%)$..............................................$3$$ 1.2$Role$in$Firm—Decision$Makers$(66%)$................................................................$3$$ 1.3$Employees—Over$10,000$(40%)$........................................................................$3$$ 1.4$Duration—Between$2<4$Years$(35%)$.................................................................$3$$

Business$Activities$Supported$by$IBM$Connections$...............................................$5$$ 2.1$High$Use$of$IBM$Connections$for$“Social”$Activities$..........................................$5$$ 2.2$Different$Profile$of$Adoption$at$Longer<Term$Customers$.................................$5$$ 2.3$Longer<Term$Customers$Embrace$More$Hard<Nosed$Activities$........................$7$$ 2.4$Employee$Use$Increases$Over$Time$...................................................................$7$$

Employee$Use$of$IBM$Connections$........................................................................$9$$ 3.1$Newer$Customers$Have$Different$Expectations$.................................................$9$$ 3.2$Longer$Term$Customers$Expect$Lower$Overall$Usage$.....................................$10$$Versions$of$IBM$Connections$Being$Used$Among$Organizations$.........................$12$$ 4.1$Rewards$and$Risks$of$the$Latest$Version$.........................................................$12$$ 4.2$Versions$of$IBM$Connections$In$Use$................................................................$12$$

Plans$to$Upgrade$to$IBM$Connections$5.0$...........................................................$13$$ 5.1$Most$Organizations$Will$Upgrade$to$Connections$5.0$.....................................$13$$ 5.2$Respondent$Comments$on$Upgrading$IBM$Connections$.................................$13$$

Key$Features$in$IBM$Connections$5.0$...................................................................$15$$ 6.1$Mobile$Apps$and$External$Access$Highly$Valued$.............................................$15$$ 6.2$Respondent$Comments$on$IBM$Connections$5.0$............................................$15$$Add<On$Products$for$IBM$Connections$................................................................$17$$ 7.1$Three$Leading$ISVs$for$IBM$Connections$.........................................................$17$$ 7.2$Newer$Customers$Faster$to$Embrace$Add<On$Products$..................................$17$$ 7.3$Strong$Use$of$IBM$Docs$...................................................................................$17$$ 7.4$Respondent$Comments$on$Add<On$Products$..................................................$17$$Overall$Level$of$Satisfaction$with$the$Use$of$IBM$Connections$...........................$19$$ 8.1$High$Satisfaction$with$IBM$Connections$..........................................................$19$$ 8.2$Respondent$Comments$on$Overall$Satisfaction$...............................................$19$$

$Likelihood$to$Recommend$IBM$Connections$to$Others$......................................$19$$ 9.1$High$Propensity$to$Recommend$IBM$Connections$..........................................$19$$

Satisfaction$with$Business$Value$Achieved$with$IBM$Connections$.....................$21$$ 10.1$Achieving$Business$Value$with$IBM$Connections$...........................................$21$$ 10.2$Longer<Term$Customers$Have$Higher$Satisfaction$with$Value$......................$21$$

Organizational$Problems$Experienced$with$the$Use$of$IBM$Connections$...........$23$$ 11.1$Broad$Set$of$Organizational$Problems$...........................................................$23$$ 11.2$Least$Concern$vs.$Most$Concern$....................................................................$23$$ 11.3$Newer$Customers$vs.$Long<Term$Customers$.................................................$23$$ 11.4$Respondent$Comments$on$Organizational$Problems$....................................$25$$Strategy$Regarding$the$Use$of$IBM$Connections$.................................................$26$$

Other$Comments$from$Respondents$..................................................................$26$$Planning$for$Success$with$IBM$Connections$........................................................$27$$$$$Report)Details)Title:$Use$and$Adoption$of$IBM$Connections:$State$of$the$Market$4Q2014$Publication.Date:$November$18,$2014$Reference.Code:$P13073S$$Independent)Research)This$report$is$an$independent$publication$of$The$Michael$Sampson$Company$Limited,$a$New$Zealand$company.$This$report$was$internally$funded.$No$vendor$requested$or$paid$for$its$preparation$or$publication.$$Disclaimer)The$information$provided$in$this$report$is$by$necessity$of$a$general$nature,$and$its$applicability$to$a$specific$business$or$organizational$context$is$not$guaranteed.$Due$professional$care$must$be$exercised$in$applying$the$ideas$within$this$research$report.$All$care$has$been$invested$in$the$preparation$of$this$material,$but$neither$the$author$nor$The$Michael$Sampson$Company$Limited$accepts$any$responsibility$for$its$application.$



Use)and)Adoption)of)IBM)Connections:)About)the)Survey)The$Michael$Sampson$Company$conducted$a$2014$survey$in$late$September$to$mid<October$on$the$use$and$adoption$of$IBM$Connections$among$end<user$organizations$around$the$world.$The$purpose$of$the$survey$was$to$understand$the$current$state$of$the$market$and$uncover$the$critical$issues$for$focus$in$future$years.$$1.1)Respondents—58)Valid)Survey)Responses)(36%))Invitations$to$participate$in$the$survey$were$distributed$to$160$individuals,$and$58$complete$surveys$were$returned$(a$36%$response$rate).$$$In$addition$to$the$58$complete$surveys,$13$respondents$declined$participation$or$returned$incomplete$surveys:$

• 4$respondents$returned$an$incomplete$survey$response.$These$survey$responses$were$deleted.$• 4$respondents$declined$participation$because$their$firms$are$moving$to$Microsoft$SharePoint$or$Office$365.$• 2$respondents$declined$participation$because$IBM$Connections$is$only$just$being$implemented$at$their$organization.$• 1$respondent$declined$because$their$firm$piloted$Connections$but$did$not$move$to$production.$• 1$respondent$declined$because$they$now$work$for$a$Microsoft$Business$Partner.$• 1$respondent$declined$for$other$reasons.$

)1.2)Role)in)Firm—Decision)Makers)(66%))Two$thirds$of$respondents$were$decision$makers$with$respect$to$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$at$their$organization.$$$The$remainder,$who$were$not$decision$makers,$included$internal$champions$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections,$power$users,$and$others$with$an$understanding$of$how$IBM$Connections$was$being$used$in$their$organization.$

1.3)Employees—Over)10,000)(40%))Two$fifths$of$respondents$report$that$their$organization$has$more$than$10,000$employees.$$$The$remaining$three$fifths$are$divided$almost$equally$between$organizations$with:$

• Fewer$than$1,000$employees$$• Between$1,000$and$10,000$employees.$

1.4)Duration—Between)2U4)Years)(35%))Respondents$represented$organizations$at$various$points$along$the$experience$curve$with$IBM$Connections.$The$largest$group—just$over$one$third—have$been$using$IBM$Connections$for$between$2$and$4$years.$One$fifth$have$been$using$IBM$Connections$for$less$than$12$months,$and$another$one$fifth$between$1$and$2$years.$$$Just$under$one$fifth$have$been$using$IBM$Connections$for$more$than$4$years.$A$small$proportion$of$respondents$have$not$yet$implemented$IBM$Connections$but$plan$on$doing$so$soon.$



Valid&Survey&Response&(36%)&

Invited&&But&Did&Not&Respond&

Invalid&Response&

Decision&Makers&(66%)&

Others&(34%)&

Over&10,000&

Less&than&1000&

Between&1000&&and&10,000&

1.2&Role&in&Firm& 1.3&Employees&

4&+&

1&K&2&

2&K&4&

1.4&DuraMon&(Years)&

Less&than&1&

1.1&Respondents&

Not&yet&&implemented&

Use&and&AdopMon&of&IBM&ConnecMons:&State&of&the&Market&4Q2014& Michael&Sampson&

©&The&Michael&Sampson&Company&Limited& Page&4&

Business)Activities)Supported)by)IBM)Connections)

As)a)platform)technology)to)support)collaboration)and)social)business)activities)in)organizations,)IBM)Connections)can)be)used)across)a)wide)range)of)scenarios)and)situations.)Out)of)11)potential)scenarios,)over)half)of)respondents)said)some)employees)were)using)IBM)Connections)for)any)given)scenario,)one)quarter)said)no)employees)were)using)IBM)Connections)for)that)scenario,)and)just)under)one)fifth)said)most)employees)were)using)that)scenario.)On)average,)a)very)small)percentage)of)respondents)said)all)employees)were)using)IBM)Connections)for)that)scenario.)$$2.1)High)Use)of)IBM)Connections)for)“Social”)Activities)“Social”$activities$are$among$the$most$highly$used$in$organizations.$Three$of$the$four$leading$activities$are:$

• Distributing$Team$and$Organizational$Updates$(32%$most$employees,$5%$all$employees)$

• Building$Knowledge$Together$(26%$most,$3%$all)$• Sharing$Learning$and$Best$Practice$(25%$most,$2%$all).$$

$It$is$difficult$to$derive$a$rapid$return$on$investment$from$using$IBM$Connections$in$these$areas,$as$they$are$softer$and$more$“social”$activities;$if$done$well$these$activities$build$collaborative$capability$across$the$organization,$cultivate$connections$between$people,$and$reinforce$a$culture$of$working$together.$Hence$the$business$win$for$pursuing$these$activities$is$sensed$in$qualitative$terms$and$is$therefore$often$harder$to$enumerate.$$$For$example,$Sharing$Learning$and$Best$Practice$has$the$potential$to$return$a$tremendous$win$for$the$organization—such$as$CEMEX’s$experience$with$finding$a$way$to$save$US$140$million$from$its$annual$fuel$bill$through$its$Alternative$Fuels$learning$community1—or$at$best$it$might$only$result$in$a$stream$of$small$performance$tuning$ideas$that$never$cumulatively$create$a$headline<capturing$difference.$In$summary,$if$done$well,$these$social$activities$can$make$a$substantial$difference$to$an$organization;$it$is$just$usually$more$difficult$to$put$a$figure$on$it.$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$1$See$the$CEMEX$case$study$in$Michael’s$book$Doing.Business.with.IBM.Connections.(2013),$p$208.$

2.2)Different)Profile)of)Adoption)at)LongerUTerm)Customers)Organizations$new$to$IBM$Connections$(those$using$IBM$Connections$for$up$to$2$years)$have$a$different$adoption$profile$compared$to$those$using$IBM$Connections$for$longer$(2$years$or$more).$Newer$customers$place$a$higher$emphasis$on$using$IBM$Connections$to:$

• Run$the$Intranet$(24%$most$employees,$20%$all$employees)$• Distributing$Team$and$Organizational$Updates$(29%$most,$7%$all)$• Building$Knowledge$Together$(29%$most,$7%$all).$$

$The$emphasis$at$longer<term$customers$is$different:$$

• Distributing$Team$and$Organizational$Updates$(35%$most$employees,$3%$all$employees)$

• Sharing$Learning$and$Best$Practice$(31%$most,$0%$all)$$• Finding$Expertise$(27%$most,$3%$all).$$

$The$high$emphasis$at$organizations$new$to$IBM$Connections$for$Running$the$Intranet$is$not$seen$among$those$using$IBM$Connections$for$a$longer$time$frame$(14%$most$employees$and$7%$all$employees$at$longer$term$customers),$and$Building$Knowledge$Together$is$also$lower$among$longer<term$customers$(23%$most,$0%$all).$$$Clearly$the$two$cohorts$represent$different$organizations,$rather$than$the$same$organizations$at$different$time$periods,$so$the$relative$emphasis$among$the$cohorts$could$carry$across$their$respective$usage$profiles.$



0%& 10%& 20%& 30%& 40%& 50%& 60%& 70%& 80%& 90%& 100%&

Making&Decisions&

Capturing&Ideas&for&InnovaMon&

Document&CoKAuthoring&

Managing&MeeMngs&

Finding&ExperMse&

Running&Projects&

Holding&Discussions&

Sharing&Learning&and&Best&PracMce&

Building&Knowledge&Together&

Running&the&Intranet&

DistribuMng&Team&and&OrganizaMonal&Updates&

Not&Used&by&Employees&

Used&by&Some&Employees&

Used&by&Most&Employees&

Used&by&All&Employees&

2.1&Business&AcMviMes&Supported&by&IBM&ConnecMons&(All&Respondents)&



2.3)LongerUTerm)Customers)Embrace)More)HardUNosed)Activities)Longer<term$customers$of$IBM$Connections$have$higher$use$among$their$employees$(the$combined$sum$of$“Some,”$“Most,”$and$“All”$employees)$of$the$more$hard<nosed$activities,$those$that$can$deliver$more$measurable$incremental$value$in$specific$situations.$These$are:$

• Capturing$Ideas$for$Innovation$(59%$new,$87%$long<term).$$• Finding$Expertise$(48%$new,$83%$long<term)$• Document$Co<Authoring$(63%$new,$67%$long<term)$

$Using$IBM$Connections$for$Running$Projects$actually$has$lower$use$among$longer<term$customers,$but$only$slightly$(85%$new$customers,$83%$long<term$customers).$$

2.4)Employee)Use)Increases)Over)Time)Employee$use$of$IBM$Connections$increases$as$time$goes$by.$$$Long<term$customers$of$IBM$Connections$have:$

• More$employees$in$the$“Some”$and$“Most”$usage$slices$o Long<term$customers:$62%$some$employees$and$18%$most$

employees$$o Newer$customers:$52%$some$and$16%$most$

• Fewer$in$the$“Not$Using”$slice$o Long<term$customers:$19%$not$used$$o Newer$customers:$28%$not$used$

$This$is$likely$due$to$several$factors:$$

• The$adoption$team$within$an$organization$is$able$to$work$with$more$teams$and$groups$as$time$goes$by.$

• The$expectation$of$usage$by$colleagues$increases$among$employees$as$the$tool$becomes$ingrained$in$day<to<day$activities$

• The$settling$in$of$a$tool$over$the$long<term$demonstrates$to$employees$who$are$initially$skeptical$that$the$tool$is$only$a$fad$that$it$is$there$to$stay—and$that$they$can$trust$it$as$a$vehicle$of$getting$work$done.$$

$On$the$other$hand,$remember$that$these$are$two$separate$cohorts$at$the$same$point$in$time,$rather$than$normalized$time<series$data$for$organizations$across$their$respective$adoption$profile.$



59%& 87%&Capturing&Ideas&for&InnovaMon&

2.2&Most&highly&used&acMviMes&for&newer&customers:&

Newer&Customers&&(less&than&2&years&with&IBM&ConnecMons)&

Longer5Term&Customers&&(more&than&2&years&with&IBM&ConnecMons)&

Running&the&Intranet&


Building&Knowledge&Together&

24%&most&

29%&most&

20%&all&

7%&all&

29%&most&

7%&all&

2.2&Most&highly&used&acMviMes&for&longerKterm&customers:&


Sharing&Learning&and&Best&PracMce&

Finding&ExperMse&

35%&most&

31%&most&

3&

27%&most&

3&3%&all&

3%&all&

48%&

63%& 67%&

83%&

2.3&LongerKterm&customers&have&higher&emphasis&on&more&hardKnosed&acMviMes:&

Finding&ExperMse&

Document&CoKAuthoring&

2.4&LongerKterm&customers&have&more&employees&using&IBM&ConnecMons:&

16%&most&

52%&some&

18%&most&

62%&some&



Employee)Use)of)IBM)Connections)

Up)to)40%)of)employees)are)using)IBM)Connections)today)at)three)fifths)of)organizations,)and)a)further)one)fifth)has)between)41%)and)60%)of)employees)using)IBM)Connections)today.)Respondents)expect)a)stepwise)increase)across)the)usage)bands)by)employees)over)the)next)12)months.)In)12)months,)respondents)expect)increased)usage)across)the)three)higher)bands,)with)7)out)of)10)expecting)usage)of)IBM)Connections)by)more)than)40%)of)employees.)$$3.1)Newer)Customers)Have)Different)Expectations))There$is$a$different$current$situation$and$expected$future$at$organizations$new$to$IBM$Connections$(using$IBM$Connections$for$less$than$two$years)$compared$with$longer<term$customers$(using$IBM$Connections$for$more$than$two$years).$$$At$new$organizations:$

• Currently,$almost$50%$of$respondents$say$that$less$than$20%$of$employees$are$using$IBM$Connections.$This$is$expected$to$decrease$to$only$14%$of$respondents$in$12$months.$

• In$12$months$almost$half$of$respondents$expect$usage$of$between$20%$and$60%.$

• In$12$months$29%$of$respondents$expected$that$over$80%$of$employees$will$use$IBM$Connections.$This$represents$a$doubling$from$the$current$respondent$percentage$(14%).$

$

At$longer<term$organizations,$there$is$also$an$expected$increase$in$usage$among$the$higher$bands$over$the$next$12$months:$

• One$third$of$respondents$expect$usage$of$between$41%$and$60%$of$employees.$

• One$quarter$of$respondents$expect$usage$between$20%$and$40%.$$• One$quarter$of$respondents$expect$usage$between$61%$and$80%.$$

$With$respect$to$the$highest$band$of$usage$(over$80%$of$employees),$half$as$many$respondents$at$long<term$customers$compared$with$newer$customers$expected$over$80%$of$employees$will$use$IBM$Connections$in$12$months:$

• 13%$long<term$customers.$• 29%$newer$customers.$

$



3.2)Longer)Term)Customers)Expect)Lower)Overall)Usage))Across$all$respondents,$40%$of$respondents$expect$to$see$over$60%$of$employees$using$IBM$Connections$in$12$months.$However,$within$the$two$usage$bands$(61%$to$80%,$and$over$80%),$there$is$an$opposite$effect:$

• At$newer$organizations,$the$majority$of$respondents$expect$most$usage$by$over$80%$of$employees$

• At$long<term$customers,$the$majority$of$respondents$expect$most$usage$by$between$61%$and$80%$of$employees.$$

$If$the$expectation$was$the$other$way$around,$there$would$be$no$point$commenting$on$it,$but$since$something$is$moderating$or$tempering$aspirations$for$the$highest$level$of$usage$and$adoption$at$long<term$customers,$it$is$essential$to$do$so.$There$is$no$hard$data$in$the$survey$to$explain$why$this$effect$is$happening,$but$possible$reasons$include:$$$

1. At$long<term$customers,$if$IBM$Connections$was$originally$introduced$to$support$the$more$“social”$activities$and$scenarios$noted$above,$this$may$have$alienated$large$groups$of$employees$who$did$not$see$the$value$of$being$social.$The$initial$bad$reaction$to$IBM$Connections$as$a$social$tool$has$left$a$lasting$negative$impact$among$employees,$even$as$the$target$activities$and$scenarios$have$been$pushed$in$the$direction$of$business$collaboration.$$

$2. At$long<term$customers,$the$group$responsible$for$making$

Connections$work$across$the$enterprise$has$had$time$to$see$that$not$every$individual,$group,$team$or$department$has$need$of$what$IBM$Connections$has$to$offer,$either$in$light$of$the$work$they$do$day<to<day$or$the$current$systems$they$are$using.$There$is$a$sweet$spot$for$using$IBM$Connections,$and$not$everyone$has$the$sweet$spot.$$

3. The$marginal$business$value$of$achieving$over$80%$adoption$is$lower$than$the$financial$and$time$cost$of$doing$so.$The$business$value$is$viewed$as$more$important$than$the$ability$to$claim$full$adoption;$indeed$doing$the$latter$without$regard$to$the$former$would$amount$to$a$pyrrhic$victory.$

$It$will$be$interesting$to$watch$this$effect$in$future$surveys$of$organizations$using$IBM$Connections.$$$



Newer&Customers&&(less&than&2&years&with&IBM&ConnecMons)&

Longer5Term&Customers&&(more&than&2&years&with&IBM&ConnecMons)&

All&Respondents&&

1K20&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

80+&

1K20&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

80+&

Current& In&12&Months&

Percentage&of&Respondents&

1K20&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

80+&

1K20&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

80+&



1K20&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

21K40&

41K60&

61K80&

80+&



Percentage&of&employees&using&IBM&ConnecMons& 3.1&Percentage&of&employees&using&ConnecMons& 3.1&Percentage&of&employees&using&ConnecMons&

61K80&

80+&

61K80&

80+&

61K80&

80+&In&12&months,&40%&of&

respondents&expect&to&see&

over&60%&of&employees&

using&IBM&ConnecMons&

At&newer&customers,&the&

majority&of&respondents&

expect&most&usage&by&over&

80%&of&employees&

At&longKterm&customers,&

the&majority&of&

respondents&expect&most&

usage&by&between&61%&

and&80%&of&employees&

3.2&High&Usage&to&Increase&&



Versions)of)IBM)Connections)Being)Used)Among)Organizations)

Three)fifths)of)organizations)are)using)IBM)Connections)4.5)(released)May)2013).)One)in)seven)have)already)upgraded)to)IBM)Connections)5.0)(released)in)June)2014),)and)one)in)seven)are)still)using)IBM)Connections)4.0)(released)September)2012).))$

$

4.1)Rewards)and)Risks)of)the)Latest)Version)Staying$on$the$latest$version$of$enterprise$software$allows$an$

organization$to$gain$access$to$the$most$recent$set$of$development$work$

undertaken$by$a$vendor.$This$includes:$

• New$capabilities,$e.g.,$external$access$in$Connections$5.0.$

• Refinement$of$features.$

• Elimination$of$bugs.$$

$

Upgrading$to$the$latest$version$does,$however,$come$with$a$set$of$costs:$

• The$cost$to$install$and$deploy$the$latest$version.$

• The$cost$to$retrain$employees$how$to$use$current$features.$

• The$cost$to$reimagine$work$in$light$of$new$capabilities.$$

$

From$a$vendor’s$point$of$view,$organizations$that$stay$close$to$the$latest$

version$demonstrate$a$commitment$to$using$the$product$and$staying$with$

the$vendor;$those$that$lag$behind,$less$so.$The$laggards$also$become$a$risk$

for$the$vendor,$where$a$lack$of$upgrade$behaviour$puts$the$organization$

at$progressively$higher$risk$of$abandoning$the$product$and$switching$to$

another$vendor.$It$also$calls$into$question$whether$the$capabilities$the$

vendor$is$adding$to$the$product$are$finding$resonance$in$the$market$

among$current$customers.$$

$

From$an$organization’s$point$of$view,$staying$close$to$the$latest$version$of$

a$product$only$makes$sense$when$the$new$offering$adds$value$to$the$

work$they$are$already$doing,$and$upgrading$complex$software$with$many$

parts$generally$comes$at$a$high$cost.$If$subsequent$versions$of$a$product$

offer$less$innovation$and$fewer$enhancements,$the$value$equation$

becomes$harder$to$justify.$

$

$

4.2)Versions)of)IBM)Connections)In)Use)Among$the$respondents$to$the$survey:$

• Four$fifths$of$organizations$are$using$the$latest$or$latest$minus$one$

version$of$IBM$Connections.$$

• The$use$of$the$latest$versions$is$higher$among$newer$customers$

than$longer<term$customers,$as$would$be$expected.$$

• Among$organizations$that$have$had$IBM$Connections$for$more$

than$2$years,$30%$still$have$older$versions$of$IBM$Connections$in$

use$(IBM$Connections$3.x$and$4.0),$compared$with$only$12%$in$

organizations$that$are$newer$to$IBM$Connections.$This$is$as$would$

be$expected$based$on$version$availability$at$decision$time.$$

$

$



Plans)to)Upgrade)to)IBM)Connections)5.0)

Most)respondents)forecast)strong)upgrade)momentum)to)IBM)Connections)5.0,)with)one)in)seven)already)using)Connections)5.0)and)two)thirds)expecting)to)upgrade)within)the)next)12)months.))$$5.1)Most)Organizations)Will)Upgrade)to)Connections)5.0)The$dominant$intent$to$upgrade$to$IBM$Connections$5.0$within$the$next$12$months$strongly$suggests$continued$support$of$and$preference$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$among$the$majority$of$current$customers.$$$One$in$seven$respondents$do$not$expect$to$upgrade$for$more$than$one$year.$Given$the$generally$fast$release$cycle$maintained$by$IBM$for$Connections,$this$slower$upgrade$timeframe$could$put$organizations$a$step$or$two$behind$the$current$version$of$the$product.$For$example,$if$IBM$released$Connections$5.5$or$6.0$in$June$2015$(one$year$after$releasing$Connections$5.0),$the$project$to$upgrade$to$Connections$5.0$would$not$have$started$for$many$organizations$by$the$time$an$even$newer$version$was$available.$Therefore,$the$best$way$to$interpret$the$slower$upgrade$intent$is$that$the$organization$plans$to$upgrade$to$a$future$version$of$IBM$Connections,$whichever$is$most$current$when$approval$to$do$so$is$secured.$$Only$a$few$respondents$say$their$organization$will$not$upgrade$to$IBM$Connections$5.0$at$any$time$(4%).$This$may$indicate$the$organization$is$planning$to$switch$to$a$similar$product$from$another$vendor,$or$that$the$organization$fails$to$see$any$incremental$value$in$the$new$version$and$will$wait$for$a$future$version$to$come$to$market.$$

5.2)Respondent)Comments)on)Upgrading)IBM)Connections)Two$respondents$made$specific$comments$about$upgrading$to$newer$versions$of$IBM$Connections:$$Upgrades.for.IBM.Connections.are.very.time.consuming.to.perform..We.can’t.move.as.fast.as.we.want.to.when.upgrades.become.available..$Why.does.it.have.to.be.so.hard?.We.want.to.run.IBM.Connections.on.premises,.yet.it.is.a.bear.to.set.up.and.the.documentation.has.some.massive.holes.in.it..These.missing.pieces.could.trip.up.a.less.dedicated.and.less.precise.administrator..Also,.backup.and.restore.of.IBM.Connections.for.onNpremises.users.seems.to.have.been.forgotten.by.IBM..$$



4.0& 4.5& 5.0&3.x&

4.2&Most&organizaMons&are&using&the&latest&&versions&of&IBM&ConnecMons&(4.5&or&5.0)&&

SmartCloud&ConnecMons&

4.5& 5.0&

4.5& 5.0&

Newer&customers&make&higher&use&of&the&latest&versions&of&IBM&ConnecMons&&compared&to&longerKterm&customers&

All&Respondents&

Newer&Customers&

LongKTerm&Customers&

5.1&Most&organizaMons&not&currently&using&IBM&&ConnecMons&5.0&will&upgrade&within&the&next&12&months&

4.0& 4.5&3.x&All&Respondents&not&using&ConnecMons&5.0&currently&

Within&6&months&Within&6K12&

months&4.5&Intent&to&upgrade&to&

ConnecMons&5.0&

1K2&years&2&years&or&more&

No&plans&to&upgrade&



Key)Features)in)IBM)Connections)5.0)

Updated)mobile)apps)and)secure)access)for)external)people)to)files)and)communities)are)the)two)most)highly)ranked)enhancements)in)IBM)Connections)5.0.)The)ability)to)search)in)the)Activity)Stream)is)in)third)place.)$$6.1)Mobile)Apps)and)External)Access)Highly)Valued)Three$out$of$five$respondents$to$the$survey:$

• Rank$updated$mobile$apps$and$support$for$secure$external$access$as$very$important$or$extremely$important$features$

• Rank$search$in$the$Activity$Stream$as$moderately$important$or$very$important.$$

$With$the$growing$use$of$mobile$devices,$especially$tablets$and$larger$form$factor$mobile$phones,$providing$strong$support$for$these$devices$in$daily$workflow$activities$is$ranked$highly$among$respondents.$Generally$speaking,$the$last$few$years$have$witnessed$a$tremendous$growth$in$the$preferential$use$of$tablets$rather$than$laptops$as$the$mobile$device$of$choice$when$away$from$the$office,$and$support$for$such$devices$is$a$strong$feature$of$IBM$Connections.$$$Secure$external$access$provides$an$IBM<supported$way$for$an$organization$to$give$trusted$customers,$partners,$and$suppliers$the$ability$to$access$a$limited$subset$of$information$in$IBM$Connections$5.0,$thus$eliminating$the$need$to$maintain$multiple$systems$or$implement$manual$workarounds$to$bring$in$external$participants.$$$Search$in$the$Activity$Stream$enables$individuals$to$pinpoint$specific$content$in$their$activity$stream$as$a$way$of$filtering$out$the$noise$and$focusing$on$specific$topics,$issues,$or$other$content$items.$$The$lowest$ranked$update$in$IBM$Connections$5.0$is$support$for$multiple$ideation$blogs$in$a$community,$compared$with$support$for$just$a$single$ideation$blog$in$previous$versions.$Two$thirds$of$respondents$say$this$is$

not$at$all$important$or$only$slightly$important.$Visual$ideation$is$a$new$approach$to$idea$management$for$many$organizations,$and$thus$the$low$rating$is$likely$to$indicate$the$overall$low$level$of$current$usage.$For$organizations$effectively$using$visual$ideation$via$ideation$blogs$in$IBM$Connections,$the$change$is$likely$to$be$very$welcomed.$$$6.2)Respondent)Comments)on)IBM)Connections)5.0)Respondents$made$three$comments$about$missing$features:$$Although.external.people.can.be.included.with.Connections.5.0,.we.are.still.missing.a.supported.way.to.include.users.with.no.email.address.(e.g..people.from.the.manufacturing.floor).into.the.system...$Connections.needs.an.IBMNsupported.way.for.managing.content,.such.as.moving.documents.between.communities,.reassigning.ownership,.and.full.and.partial.splits.and.merges.of.communities..Not.having.these.capabilities.is.becoming.a.roadblock.for.the.system.and.its.usage..$We.need.the.ability.to.move.content.between.communities.and.subcommunities,.merge.communities,.and.change.standNalone.apps.to.community.apps.and.visa.versa..In.addition,.better.management.for.administrators.is.needed..For.example,.if.someone.leaves,.it.should.be.simple.to.provide.someone.else.control.over.their.files.and.ownership.of.their.communities..At.the.moment.it.is.very.frustrating.to.manage.this..



0%& 10%& 20%& 30%& 40%& 50%& 60%& 70%& 80%& 90%& 100%&

MulMple&IdeaMon&Blogs&

@menMons&

Search&in&AcMvity&Stream&

Restore&Deleted&CommuniMes&

Updated&Mobile&Apps&

External&Access&

Don't&Know&

Not&at&all&Important&

Slightly&Important&

Moderately&Important&

Very&Important&

Extremely&Important&

6.1&Key&Features&in&IBM&ConnecMons&5.0&(All&Respondents)&



AddUOn)Products)for)IBM)Connections)

Half)of)respondents)have)one)or)more)addUon)products)in)use)for)IBM)Connections,)with)Kudos)Badges,)Kudos)Analytics,)and)IBM)Docs)the)three)most)commonly)used)addUon)tools.))$$7.1)Three)Leading)ISVs)for)IBM)Connections)Generally$speaking,$add<on$products$provide$complementary,$missing,$or$enhanced$capabilities$compared$with$what$is$offered$in$the$base$product$from$a$vendor.$Add<on$products$are$a$common$fixture$in$the$IT$industry,$and$there$is$a$growing$ecosystem$of$independent$software$vendors$(ISVs)$offering$add<on$products$for$IBM$Connections.$Among$the$respondents$to$this$survey,$the$three$leading$ISVs$are$(excluding$IBM):$

1. ISW$Development$(Kudos)$2. Trilog$Group$3. TimeToAct$

$A$variety$of$other$ISVs$have$a$smaller$footprint$among$the$respondents$to$this$survey.$$7.2)Newer)Customers)Faster)to)Embrace)AddUOn)Products)The$cohort$of$organizations$that$have$been$using$IBM$Connections$for$less$than$two$years$has$been$more$rapid$to$embrace$add<on$products$than$longer<term$customers.$Among$newer$customers,$almost$three$fifths$use$one$or$more$add<on$products.$Among$longer<term$customers,$just$under$one$half$do$the$same.$One$reason$for$this$could$be$a$heightened$awareness$among$newer$customers$that$they$need$more$than$what$IBM$offers$in$Connections$to$make$it$work$and$add$business$value;$there$have$been$enough$early$adopters$to$blaze$the$trail$and$highlight$missing$capabilities.$A$second$reason$could$be$the$greater$availability$over$the$past$two$years$of$innovative$add<on$tools$for$Connections$that$address$specific$pain$points,$compared$to$prior$years.$This$is$driven$by$ISVs$active$in$the$market$that$observe$opportunities$to$add$value$to$IBM$Connections$or$resolve$problems$experienced$by$

organizations$in$its$use.$$7.3)Strong)Use)of)IBM)Docs)IBM$Docs,$an$add<on$from$IBM$that$offers$an$online$Microsoft$Office<like$productivity$suite$with$real<time$co<authoring$and$co<editing$capabilities,$is$tied$in$second$place$for$the$most$highly$used$add<on$tool.$Organizations$with$IBM$Docs$can$dispense$with$using$Microsoft$Word,$Excel,$and$PowerPoint$for$many$document,$spreadsheet,$and$presentation$creation,$editing,$and$finalization$activities.$Depending$on$the$complexity$of$the$documents,$spreadsheets,$and$slide$decks$created$by$employees$at$the$organization,$however,$having$Microsoft$Office$available$may$still$be$a$requirement.$Some$customers$have$voiced$the$preference$for$having$IBM$Docs$as$an$integral$component$of$IBM$Connections,$instead$of$an$optional$add<on$that$comes$with$separate$licensing$and$installation$requirements.$$$7.4)Respondent)Comments)on)AddUOn)Products)One$respondent$commented$on$add<on$products$for$IBM$Connections:$$As.much.as.I.love.the.folks.at.TimeToAct,.in.principle.I.should.not.have.to.rely.on.a.third.party.for.basic.GUINbased.administration..While.I.am.thrilled.that.IBM.is.spending.so.much.time.and.effort.on.the.mobile.and.desktop.user.interface.(as.that’s.been.one.of.my.biggest.complaints.with.Notes),.administrators.need.a.little.love.too...



ISV&and&Product& %& Category& Website&

Kudos&Badges& 19%& GamificaMon& www.kudosbadges.com&

Kudos&AnalyMcs& 17%& AdopMon&measurement& www.kudosbadges.com&

IBM&Docs& 17%& WebKbased&office&producMvity& www.ibm.com&

Trilog&ProjExec& 12%& Social&project&management& www.triloggroup.com&

TimeToAct&Web&Content&Management& 10%& Web&content&management& www.Mmetoact.de&

Kudos&Boards& 5%& Kanban&for&AcMviMes& www.kudosbadges.com&

OnTime&Group&Calendar& 5%& Calendaring&and&meeMng&scheduling& www.onMmesuite.com&

Infoware&DomainPatrol&Social& 5%& AdministraMon&tools& www.infoware.eu&

SugarCRM& 3%& Customer&relaMonship&management& www.sugarcrm.com&

IBM&SameMme& 3%& Instant&messaging,&presence,&meeMngs& www.ibm.com&

Ephox&EditLive& 3%& Content&authoring& www.ephox.com&

TimeToAct&User&Access&Manager& 2%& AdministraMon&tools& www.Mmetoact.de&

TimeToAct&ConnecMons&AdministraMon& 2%& AdministraMon&tools& www.Mmetoact.de&

Lialis&File&Jockey& 2%& File&access&and&management& www.fileKjockey.com&

Hype&InnovaMon& 2%& InnovaMon&management& www.hypeinnovaMon.com&

7.1&AddKOn&Products&for&IBM&ConnecMons&(All&Respondents)&



Overall)Level)of)Satisfaction)with)the)Use)of)IBM)Connections)

Seven)out)of)ten)respondents)have)one)of)the)two)highest)levels)of)satisfaction)with)IBM)Connections)in)their)organization.)The)remainder)are)neutral)or)somewhat)unsatisfied)with)IBM)Connections.)$$8.1)High)Satisfaction)with)IBM)Connections)The$largest$single$block$of$satisfaction$is$among$those$respondents$who$are$somewhat$satisfied$(58%),$and$the$largest$consecutive$block$to$that$is$neutral$(18%).$However,$on$the$other$side$of$somewhat$satisfied$are$respondents$who$are$very$satisfied$(13%).$$$Overall$it$would$be$fair$to$say$that$the$vast$majority$of$respondents$are$somewhat$satisfied$with$IBM$Connections,$with$a$moderate$tilting$towards$neutral$as$opposed$to$very$satisfied.$$Customers$newer$to$IBM$Connections$(those$using$IBM$Connections$for$less$than$2$years)$have$slightly$higher$ratings$of$the$low$satisfaction$levels$$

compared$with$organizations$using$IBM$Connections$for$longer$(two$years$or$more).$However,$moderately$more$longer<term$customers$are$somewhat$satisfied$with$IBM$Connections$than$newer$organizations.$In$other$words,$the$level$of$satisfaction$with$IBM$Connections$appears$to$rise$as$organizations$use$IBM$Connections$for$longer.$$8.2)Respondent)Comments)on)Overall)Satisfaction)One$respondent$commented$directly$on$their$satisfaction$with$IBM$Connections:$$I’m.one.of.the.most.active.users.at.my.company.and.can’t.say.enough.good.things.about.the.reach.the.product.has.allowed.for.my.audience.and.myself..

))Likelihood)to)Recommend)IBM)Connections)to)Others)

Almost)half)of)respondents)are)very)likely)to)recommend)the)use)of)IBM)Connections)to)others.)A)further)one)quarter)is)completely)likely)to)do)so.)$9.1)High)Propensity)to)Recommend)IBM)Connections)Likelihood$to$recommend$a$product$or$service$to$others$is$a$key$measure$of$success$for$a$vendor.$The$majority$of$respondents$to$this$survey$exhibit$a$high$propensity$to$do$so$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections.$$Respondents$at$longer<term$customers$(those$using$IBM$Connections$for$

two$years$or$more)$have$a$higher$propensity$to$recommend$IBM$Connections$to$others$compared$with$respondents$at$newer$customers.$At$both$cohorts$just$under$half$are$very$likely.$At$newer$customers,$just$over$one$third$is$moderately$likely$to$recommend$(one$step$down),$while$at$longer<term$customers$just$over$one$third$is$completely$likely$to$recommend$(one$step$up).$$



Neutral&(18%)&

Somewhat&SaMsfied&(59%)&

Very&SaMsfied&(13%)&

All&Respondents&

8.1&Overall&SaMsfacMon&with&the&Use&of&IBM&ConnecMons&

Neutral&(19%)&



Respondents&at&Newer&Customers&

Neutral&(17%)&

Somewhat&SaMsfied&&(62%)&

Respondents&at&LongKTerm&Customers&


Somewhat&&UnsaMsfied&(11%)&



Respondents&at&longerKterm&customers&have&moderately&higher&saMsfacMon&&compared&with&respondents&at&newer&customers:&



Satisfaction)with)Business)Value)Achieved)with)IBM)Connections)

Four)out)of)five)respondents)are)somewhat)satisfied)or)neutral)about)the)value)their)organization)has)achieved)by)using)IBM)Connections.)Only)one)in)eleven)is)very)satisfied.)$$10.1)Achieving)Business)Value)with)IBM)Connections)Achieving$business$value$from$IBM$Connections$has$very$little$to$do$with$the$features$in$the$product$and$is$much$more$about$which$business$opportunities,$problems,$and$issues$the$product$is$used$to$drive,$mitigate,$or$address.$The$features$in$the$product$create$opportunities$for$addressing$specific$areas$of$business$value,$but$whether$value$is$realized$or$not$depends$on$the$nature$of$the$opportunity,$the$change$potential$fostered$by$the$use$of$the$product,$and$the$adoption$of$the$new$way$of$working.$It$equally$depends$on$the$specific$organization$and$whether$the$opportunity$addressed$by$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$helps$with$improving$performance$in$line$with$its$business$objectives.$$10.2)LongerUTerm)Customers)Have)Higher)Satisfaction)with)Value)Both$new$and$longer<term$customers$have$almost$equivalent$levels$of$satisfaction$with$the$value$achieved$from$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$in$the$neutral$and$somewhat$satisfied$blocks.$However,$longer<term$customers$have$moderately$higher$satisfaction$in$the$somewhat$satisfied$block$compared$to$new$customers,$and$thus$moderately$lower$

satisfaction$in$the$neutral$block$compared$to$new$customers.$In$other$words,$for$the$majority$of$customers,$the$longer$they$use$IBM$Connections,$the$higher$the$satisfaction$they$hold$for$the$value$achieved.$$$There$is$an$argument$to$be$made$that$the$highest$levels$of$satisfaction$with$the$business$value$achieved$by$using$IBM$Connections$(or$any$product$for$that$matter)$are$a$strategically$bad$place$to$be.$Business$value$is$often$a$retrospective$evaluation$of$the$outcomes$that$have$already$been$achieved,$as$opposed$to$a$forward<looking$expectation$of$value$to$be$achieved$in$the$future.$Becoming$complacent$as$a$result$of$value$already$achieved$can$dull$the$drive$to$achieve$even$more$in$the$future.$Balancing$this$critique,$however,$is$that$having$high$satisfaction$with$value$already$achieved$creates$the$confidence$that$what$has$been$done$in$the$past$can$be$repeated$or$extended$in$the$future.$In$terms$of$the$respondents$to$this$survey,$with$only$one$in$eleven$being$very$satisfied,$it$is$clear$that$there$remains$a$hunger$and$drive$for$more$value$from$the$use$of$IBM$Connections.$



Neutral&&(26%)&


All&Respondents&

10.2&SaMsfacMon&with&Business&Value&Achieved&with&IBM&ConnecMons&

Neutral&(30%)&


Respondents&at&Newer&Customers&

Neutral&(21%)&

Somewhat&SaMsfied&&(59%)&

Respondents&at&LongKTerm&Customers&

Very&SaMsfied&

(7%)&


Somewhat&&UnsaMsfied&

(8%)&

Somewhat&&UnsaMsfied&

(14%)&

Respondents&at&longerKterm&customers&have&moderately&higher&levels&of&saMsfacMon&with&the&&business&value&achieved&using&IBM&ConnecMons,&but&also&higher&levels&of&dissaMsfacMon:&

Very&SaMsfied&(9%)&




Organizational)Problems)Experienced)with)the)Use)of)IBM)Connections)

For)all)but)one)potential)problem)area,)just)over)one)half)of)respondents)say)the)issue)is)somewhat)of)a)problem—the)middle)rating)of)the)three)potential)ratings.)The)two)least)significant)issues)are)the)development)of)policies)and)guidelines)on)the)effective)use)of)IBM)Connections)(42%)not)at)all)a)problem))and)securing)executive)support)for)the)use)of)IBM)Connections)(31%)not)at)all)a)problem).)The)two)most)significant)issues)are)encouraging)people)to)use)IBM)Connections)in)their)work)(40%)a)significant)problem))and)understanding)the)business)value)of)IBM)Connections)(30%)a)significant)problem).)$$11.1)Broad)Set)of)Organizational)Problems)The$installation$of$Connections$is$an$essential$early$step$in$the$journey$of$its$effective$use,$but$many$factors$need$to$come$together$to$create$the$right$conditions$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$to$flourish.$Respondents$are$experiencing$a$broad$set$of$challenges$in$getting$these$factors$to$align.$On$average,$three$out$of$four$respondents$rank$a$variety$of$factors$as$somewhat$of$a$problem$or$a$significant$problem,$with$the$majority$of$respondents$in$each$case$saying$it$is$just$somewhat$of$a$problem.$$11.2)Least)Concern)vs.)Most)Concern)The$three$issues$respondents$are$experiencing$the$least$concern$with$are:$

• Developing$policies$and$guidelines$on$the$effective$use$of$IBM$Connections.$

• Securing$executive$support.$• Securing$buy<in$from$the$business$to$use$IBM$Connections.$$

$The$three$issues$respondents$are$experiencing$the$most$concern$with$are:$

• Encouraging$people$to$use$IBM$Connections$in$their$work.$• Understanding$the$business$value$of$using$IBM$Connections.$• Securing$executive$support.$$

$

The$placement$of$securing$executive$support$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$in$both$lists$is$an$interesting$occurrence.$One$way$of$explaining$this$is$that$executive$support$can$take$the$form$of$budget$and$project$approval,$which$requires$less$of$an$executive$than$aligned$and$effective$use$of$the$product$themselves$and$modeling$of$the$desired$behavior$for$all$employees$to$follow.$It$is$easier$to$secure$the$first$and$more$of$a$challenge$to$win$the$second.$$11.3)Newer)Customers)vs.)LongUTerm)Customers)Newer$customers$struggle$the$least$with$securing$business$buy<in$for$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$(39%$not$at$all$a$problem)$but$struggle$the$most$with$encouraging$people$to$use$IBM$Connections$in$their$work$(46%$a$significant$problem).$Business$buy<in$can$be$mere$mental$assent,$whereas$the$adoption$challenge$requires$that$people$actually$do$their$work$differently.$$$Longer<term$customers$struggle$the$least$with$developing$policies$and$guidelines$on$the$effective$use$of$IBM$Connections$(48%$not$at$all$a$problem)$and$the$most$with$understanding$the$business$value$of$using$IBM$Connections$(36%$a$significant$problem).$For$longer<term$customers,$the$struggle$with$encouraging$people$to$use$IBM$Connections$in$their$work$is$a$closely$ranked$second$(35%$a$significant$problem).$



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0%&

10%&

20%&

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50%&

60%&

70%&

80%&

90%&

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Gaining&BuyKIn&from&the&Business&

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Encouraging&People&to&Use&ConnecMons&in&

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A&Significant&Problem&

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11.1&OrganizaMonal&Problems&Experienced&with&the&Use&of&IBM&ConnecMons&

11.2&The&three&issues&&with&least&concern&

11.2&The&three&issues&&with&most&concern&



11.4)Respondent)Comments)on)Organizational)Problems)Numerous$respondents$commented$on$various$organizational$problems$with$the$use$of$IBM$Connections:$$Although.we.have.generated.good.results.over.the.years.we.have.used.IBM.Connections,.there.are.still.a.lot.of.groups.who.haven’t.benefited.from.the.potential.value.it.generates..The.main.reason.is.that.Connections.represents.a.change.in.the.way.they.work,.and.that.takes.time...The.use.of.Connections.has.been.steadily.growing.over.the.past.2.years,.in.large.part.due.to.the.use.of.Connections.as.a.primary.communications.tool.(blogging).by.our.executives...Our.single.biggest.challenge.is.lack.of.enterprise.vision.for.collaboration.and.social.business.as.drivers.of.efficiency.and.productivity...While.positive.about.the.technology,.I.do.believe.Connections.to.have.an.overwhelming.effect.on.users..There.are.too.many.options...We.are.now.adopting.IBM.Connections.in.our.organization.and.we’ve.realized.that.it.is.going.to.be.a.long.and.tough.process..Many.people.don’t.understand.the.benefits.of.using.a.social.network.at.work.and.feel.that.is.an.extra.thing.to.do.rather.than.a.helpful.system...

The.simple.guidelines.are.missing,.for.example.what.can.IBM.Connections.do.for.my.business?.How.do.we.use.an.enterprise.directory.for.all.users,.internal.and.external?.How.do.we.integrate.onNpremise.Connections.with.the.cloud.versions.of.IBM.Connection.Chat.and.Meetings?.There.is.also.a.lack.of.competent.consultants.to.help.with.IBM.Connections...I.love.IBM.Connections.but.its.adoption.in.our.business.is.slow..We.have.chosen.two.projects.to.get.the.business.involved..It.is.too.early.to.comment.on.but.so.far.it.is.going.well..Integration.into.productivity.tools.is.critical..A.webNbased.version.of.tools.like.Microsoft.Word.and.Microsoft.Excel.would.be.brilliant..Integration.with.email.needs.to.improve,.such.as.the.ability.to.select.content.and.email.a.link.to.someone..$The.major.use.of.IBM.Connections.for.our.organisation.is.to.share.files..The.multiple.available.options.between.My.Files,.Community.Files.and.Library.files.provide.too.many.options.and.can.be.confusing.to.users..$IBM.Connections.is.well.accepted.in.our.division,.so.it.is.important.to.note.that.my.answers.pertain.to.the.entire.organization.(more.than.100,000.people)..We.have.developed.a.concrete.social.platform.strategy.for.the.organization.over.the.last.year,.and.firmNwide.participation.in.and.use.of.IBM.Connections.is.growing...This.has.been.fostered.via.profile.day.campaigns,.reverse.mentoring,.and.change.agent.initiatives..

$ )



Strategy)Regarding)the)Use)of)IBM)Connections)

Every)respondent)says)their)organization’s)strategy)is)to)keep)using)IBM)Connections.)None)are)actively)considering)alternative)products,)and)none)have)already)decided)to)shift)to)another)product.)$$Among$individuals$and$organizations$using$any$product,$it$is$normal$to$find$some$who$intend$to$terminate$the$use$of$the$current$product,$often$in$preference$of$another$alternative$(unless$the$use$of$the$current$product$has$demonstrated$that$the$individual$or$organization$has$no$need$for$the$outcomes$it$creates$or$attempts$to$do$so).$$

Among$the$direct$respondents$to$this$survey,$this$is$not$the$case.$Every$respondent$says$the$strategy$of$their$firm$is$to$keep$using$IBM$Connections.$This$is$a$good$outcome.$Note,$however,$that$some$potential$respondents$declined$to$take$the$survey$because$their$firm$had$already$decided$to$shift$to$an$alternative$(Microsoft$SharePoint$or$Office$365).$$

))Other)Comments)from)Respondents)

Respondents)contributed)a)set)of)other)comments)about)IBM)Connections)and)its)use)and)adoption)within)their)respective)organization.)Three)comments)dealt)with)perceived)shortcomings)in)IBM)Connections)(and)the)impact)of)those)on)users),)one)addressed)internal)challenges,)and)a)final)comment)was)on)the)cost)involved)in)getting)IBM)Connections)installed.)$$IBM.needs.to.improve.search.in.Connections..As.the.environment.gets.bigger,.the.clarity.for.the.users.gets.smaller...Lack.of.support.for.nested.folders.was.a.huge.setback.for.us.and.is.why.we.have.not.gained.more.adoption.of.IBM.Connections..We.know.Connections.Content.Manager.supports.nested.folders,.but.that.is.overkill.for.what.we.need.....IBM.needs.to.harmonize.the.strength.of.the.various.modules.in.IBM.Connections..A.couple.of.the.things.we.have.requested.for.years.have.continually.been.put.aside.to.develop.new.things..IBM.needs.to.strengthen.the.notifications.for.the.apps.too..

We.are.implementing.IBM.Connections.globally.from.February.until.November.2014..During.the.test.phase.we.worked.mainly.with.people.who.were.already.convinced.of.the.value.of.IBM.Connections..Now.the.rest.of.our.employees.have.to.be.trained.first..$The.single.biggest.delay.in.implementing.IBM.Connections.for.us.has.been.the.costly.consulting.required.to.install.the.environment..If.we.had.not.already.been.using.Quickr,.and.thus.received.Connections.and.Connections.Content.Manager.licensing.as.entitlements,.it.is.unlikely.we.would.have.adopted.Connections.at.all,.knowing.how.complex.of.an.environment.it.is.to.set.up.initially..Cloud.is.not.an.option.for.us.at.this.time..



Planning)for)Success)with)IBM)Connections)IBM$Connections$is$IBM’s$flagship$offering$for$social$business$and$collaboration$in$organizations.$Gaining$success$from$its$use$and$Cultivating$Productive$Collaboration$requires$a$whole$lot$more$than$just$making$IBM$Connections$available.$Engage$with$Michael$Sampson$to$plan$for$success:$$

• Explore)What’s)Possible.$How$can$IBM$Connections$improve$processes,$drive$results,$and$help$your$organization$achieve$great$outcomes?$Schedule$the$workshop$on$doing$business$with$IBM$Connections,$presented$by$Michael.$$

• Learn)What)Others)Are)Doing.$Michael$has$recently$surveyed$organizations$around$the$world$on$their$use$and$adoption$of$IBM$Connections.$Learn$how$your$peers$around$the$world$are$approaching$IBM$Connections$and$discover$key$focus$areas$for$2015$for$creating$success.$Schedule$the$overview$presentation.$$

• Set)Your)Strategy.$How$will$your$organization$approach$the$use$of$IBM$Connections$for$creating$success?$What’s$your$strategy?$How$will$you$engage$with$business$groups?$How$will$you$drive$business$value?$How$will$you$approach$adoption?$Schedule$the$IBM$Connections$Business$Planning$Workshop,$facilitated$by$Michael.$$

• Planning)Your)Adoption)Approach.$Many$organizations$struggle$with$getting$users$to$effectively$embrace$IBM$Connections$in$their$work$practices$(for$a$nexus$of$reasons).$This$calls$for$planning$an$adoption$approach$that’s$informed$by$current$research$and$good$practices.$Schedule$the$User$Adoption$Strategies$Workshop,$facilitated$by$Michael.$

Next)Steps)Please$contact$Michael$to$take$the$next$step$on$planning$for$your$success$with$IBM$Connections.$See$michaelsampson.net/ibm<success/$$



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