Linda Briggs of Campus Technology recently posted a handy article that delineates the top ten strategies for introducing new technologies to faculty members. Briggs highlights a number of techniques that San Diego State University’s IT Services Director, James Frazee, and Associate Director of Instructional Technology Services, Jim Julius, have developed to successfully bring new technology into SDSU learning environments. While the list comprises a number of tips discerned from a multi-year project introducing classroom clickers to faculty and students, it is certainly also a valuable resource for university’s seeking to launch converged mobile initiatives.

Here are ten tips for introducing a new tool or technology, based on successes that SDSU’s IT services department has had:

1. Move quickly, before preferences are staked out. Deciding on a technology standard early can help avoid cases of faculty who have already settled on a favorite tool and are reluctant to change.

2. Make the selection process inclusive of students, faculty and staff. To make the process more inclusive, Julius said, “publish, raise awareness, involve the faculty–let early adopters become conduits” to help convince peers of the value of a new technology.

3. Do the product research. Explore the ways in which other university’s are using the technology, listen to the needs of your faculty, bring the technology to campus for presentations to various potential users—faculty and students.

4. Save time by skipping the pilot if you can. “Some schools have done pilots that go on and on. Then the information has changed, so it’s too late” to adopt whatever product has been chosen

5. Get creative to gather feedback. It’s not always easy to convince either faculty or students to take the time to test a product and offer feedback, or to participate in focus groups or other information-gathering forums.

6. Remember integration issues. Integration with existing campus technologies is obviously crucial.
7. Take your input to the vendor. Occasionally, the vendor is willing to work to meet specific demands or prices.

8. Keep the initial group of adopters small. This allows time for lots of support from IT staff early on. Since early adopters get plenty of help, they then pass on their positive experiences, talking up the product enthusiastically to others.

9. Be ready to transition support when you reach a tipping point in adoption. As the technology becomes adopted, think about moving users to a type of support that is less hands-on and intensive for IT staff.

10. Remember your goal. In the case of clickers at SDSU, the saturation rate among professors is still relatively small–just 50 or so are using the eInstruction devices in classes. It’s a tiny percent of faculty, Julius admitted, but affects a huge percent of students–and that’s really the point.

For more be sure to read Briggs’ full article at Campus Technology.