As an intelligence officer in the United States Marine Corps, I was the lead in Afghanistan for the Real-Time Regional Gateway (RTRG), a data processing and data mining system developed in partnership between the National Security Agency and SAIC.
We understood what our target audience was struggling with: dealing with a complex enemy situation, too much information to manually synthesize, and never enough time to get the right information to decision makers. We also knew our tool could help these analysts and support mission critical priorities.
I recall running demos for senior leadership like the Secretary of Energy and 4-star generals. The demo highlighted all the awesome capabilities of our tool using perfect data. It wowed everyone, and they couldn't wait to get their hands on it.
The demo was pre-built with data that we knew would showcase all of the capabilities of the tool. It amazed leaders and they were eager to get the tool to their intelligence analysts and start to deliver results. However, once I started reaching out to actual RTRG users, I realized that the traditional flow of demo to action had some shortfalls.
Learning to work with any kind of new technology takes time. There are skills to learn, changes to the ways you work, and challenges to overcome..
While demos can highlight all of the amazing capabilities of a new tool, it is important to introduce a new tool with the end user in mind - specifically giving them the chance to get ‘hands-on” in a realistic challenge.
Here are some lessons that I learned:
- Users need to understand the data that feeds the tool - the right formats, the timeliness of the information, and how to work with that data in different ways.
- Running simulations of the tool to introduce new ways of working can be extremely impactful for the end user. They have the opportunity to understand how to work with the new tool in a safe environment and challenge their traditional ways of thinking.
- When you give a new tool to someone, even if it has ground breaking capabilities, you have to help them understand how they can make the most of the tool. Application and use case development are key here.
Simulations immerse users in realistic scenarios. They get hands-on experience identifying pain points and finding the right ways to integrate a new tool.
It's training, not theater.
AI requires a radically different GTM strategy for the enterprise. Getting "hands on keyboard” for teams is critical and can accelerate a transformation conversation from weeks to hours.
Less Powerpoint presentations and more hands-on-keyboard experiences.
Simulations empower teams to:
- Help teams identify scalable AI use cases.
- Go beyond decks & demos to immersive experiences that drive executive buy-in.
- Align stakeholders and decision-makers, creating a unified vision for your AI solution.
- Identify clear paths to add business value through your AI solution.
By giving people a simulation sandbox to better understand your technology and how it will help them succeed, you set them up for success.
To find out more, contact us for an inside look.