Adoption to Microsoft 365 Copilot: What steps to follow?

The adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot is a process that entails a series of challenges and advantages for companies, which require a holistic approach to maximize their investment and ensure a smooth transition to the use of artificial intelligence. This approach translates into a structured adoption plan capable of adapting to the specific needs of a company and offering a continuous training path to accompany users in the daily use of Copilot.

In this article, we will explore together the most common mistakes made by companies in adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot, the benefits offered by a structured adoption plan, and the steps to follow to ensure effective and secure use of AI in business processes.

Adoption to Microsoft 365 Copilot: Why invest in a structured plan?

The introduction of innovative technology like Microsoft's new AI follows a path from initial uncertainty to the need to acquire new skills, to full integration into the daily work routine. In this process, there are continuous changes in the interaction between users and technology that, if not managed correctly, can compromise efficiency and business competitiveness.

Without an adequate path to Copilot adoption, companies would risk wasting their investment or failing to fully leverage the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence to optimize internal processes and lighten workloads, thus improving productivity and worker well-being.

A structured adoption plan therefore ensures not only a rapid return on investment but also a series of advantages that include:

• Effective use of all Copilot features
• Reduction of stress and resistance to change
• Better communication and knowledge sharing
• Ongoing monitoring of AI impact and areas for improvement

Customization plays a fundamental role in incorporating these elements into an effective adoption program. It is necessary to consider the specific needs of the company and the characteristics of its internal processes to successfully integrate Copilot features into the existing workflow.

A personalized adoption approach could involve the creation of targeted training paths to simplify Copilot usage based on users' activities, skills, and expectations, or address information security issues to prevent sensitive data from being exposed in AI-generated responses and content.

The company could include in its adoption plan the definition of protocols and the proper distribution of Microsoft 365 permissions to ensure that users can only access relevant information in their daily interactions with Copilot.

Communication is also essential to increase adoption rates in the company.

By utilizing internal communication channels, it would be possible to distribute informative content on Copilot usage and support users in properly learning the features offered by AI in Microsoft applications that make up the company's digital workplace.

Platforms like the intranet could also host dedicated areas for exchanging tips, questions, and experiences in using Copilot to create a proactive training process. Users would be free to ask for feedback and respond to colleagues' questions to improve their Copilot skills quickly and collaboratively.

All of this can be implemented with the right Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption plan.

Adoption to Microsoft 365 Copilot: What are the most common mistakes?

In the Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption process, users may struggle to use AI for their daily activities. Sometimes, these difficulties stem from a lack of adequate skills; other times, they arise from resistance to change.

If in the former case, a targeted training path may be the solution; in the latter, companies must be careful not to underestimate the barriers hindering proper adoption.

The introduction of Microsoft's AI has been and continues to be a total revolution in daily productivity, and in many business contexts, this impact must be mitigated through proper management of the doubts and resistance that may arise in the adoption process.

One of the main mistakes made by companies, therefore, concerns the failure to manage barriers such as:

• Fear of the unknown: People may feel intimidated by the idea of advanced technology that seems to surpass human capabilities and of which they have limited knowledge.
• Loss of control: There is concern that artificial intelligence may replace humans in decision-making and business strategy management.
• Difficulty in adaptation: The introduction of Copilot entails a reorganization of activities, encountering resistance from those who prefer to maintain established work practices.

Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach, capable of actively involving all people in the company to make Copilot adoption a smooth, progressive, and guided transition process.

The role of training should not be underestimated, which should be targeted and continuous to ensure that users acquire the necessary skills to make the best use of Copilot features in their work apps. Training is also an important means to educate people about the real capabilities of AI and its purpose within organizations, replacing fear of this new technology with awareness of the benefits it offers to lighten workloads and thus increase well-being in the company.

However, training alone is not enough: it is essential to make clear the expectations for Copilot usage by users. This means that companies have the responsibility to communicate the expected results from Copilot adoption, clarifying the limits and the value brought by AI.

The 4 steps for effective adoption to Microsoft 365 Copilot

A structured adoption plan for Microsoft 365 Copilot allows companies to maximize their investment and increase adoption rates through:

• Personalized training: A structured plan includes targeted training on Copilot usage based on the company's needs and user activities. This training not only provides practical skills to use AI effectively but also a broader understanding of the benefits and opportunities offered by Copilot to perform one's work.
  ‍
• Effective communication: A structured plan includes clear communication about Copilot, highlighting the benefits, expectations, and available resources to support adoption. Distributing training content and creating dedicated areas for knowledge exchange can serve not only to support training but also to increase interest and awareness of the benefits offered by artificial intelligence, encouraging users to use this new technology more widely and strategically.
  ‍
• Monitoring and performance analysis: A structured plan also includes a continuous evaluation process on the effectiveness of Copilot in the company's digital workplace. This makes it easier to identify areas for improvement and intervene promptly to optimize AI usage and return on investment.

These are just some of the aspects that a company should incorporate into its adoption process. Once the intervention areas have been defined, it is necessary to understand how to implement activities useful for achieving its objectives.

It is therefore not a simple process to manage independently, especially if there are no internal skills on Microsoft 365 Copilot that can facilitate the transition to this new technology.

For this reason, it is advisable to rely on a team of experts who can:

• Identify common criticalities for all companies in Copilot adoption
• Implement a guided and customizable adoption plan
• Offer a wide range of vertical services for Copilot
• Support users continuously

For this reason and to meet the growing demand from our customers, we have included in our offering a comprehensive program for Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption.

It is a path composed of four fundamental services, which the company can choose and customize based on its needs with the constant support of our experts. The four included services aim to solve common criticalities for all companies in terms of:

1. Configuration of the digital workplace to properly integrate Copilot
2. Security of company and personal information shared with AI
3. Management of continuous training on Copilot functionalities
4. Monitoring and development of custom extensions

Let's delve deeper into these services to understand what benefits they offer to companies and why they should never be missing in a Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption program.

1. Data Migration to Microsoft Cloud

Microsoft 365 Copilot is designed to work only with data present in the Microsoft 365 cloud.

The first critical step in adopting Copilot involves planning and managing the migration of company data to bring all information stored on local servers into the cloud, while ensuring that security standards and data integrity remain intact throughout the process.

Therefore, expert support is useful to preserve migrated information in the cloud and properly configure Copilot access points for company content. Generally, migration involves moving:

• Mail and events to Exchange Online
• Files and documents to SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, and OneDrive

2. Information Security Assessment

One of the most common mistakes made by companies intending to adopt Copilot is the lack of user permission management. This oversight can have serious consequences for the privacy of company data, as users may access AI-generated responses and content based on information they should not have access to.

This occurs when a colleague shares access to a file or Microsoft Teams groups with the entire organization without properly configuring permissions available in Microsoft 365.

To prevent sensitive data from being exposed to unauthorized users, it is essential to rely on a customized service to conduct a thorough assessment of permissions within:

• Microsoft Teams groups
• SharePoint Online sites
• OneDrive archives

Security assessment should also include checking access on company devices to ensure that privacy policies are adhered to when users access files and documents in Microsoft 365 from mobile devices.

3. Training and Community of Practice

For effective adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot, we have already discussed the importance of training and the pivotal role it plays in transforming user resistance into ongoing interest in the opportunities offered by AI for productivity and well-being in the company.

Therefore, training is an essential requirement that does not end with a simple basic course.

That's why we offer access to the following in our Copilot adoption plan:

• Live webinars to learn Copilot functionalities in key Microsoft 365 applications with our experts and to address questions and curiosities about using AI in daily activities. The webinars are accompanied by Q&A sessions.
  ‍
• Dedicated training area on Copilot within the company's SharePoint intranet, where our original training content is gathered. Among these, we highlight the Copilot microlearning course, video clips on the correct use of Copilot in Microsoft 365 applications, the FAQ section for quick answers to the most frequent questions about Copilot, and the list of recommended prompts for performing tasks.
  ‍
• Community of practice within Viva Engage, to create a collaborative and ongoing training experience with our support.

4. Monitoring and Development of Custom Extensions

It is essential to track the progress of the adoption plan to keep track of the results achieved, recurring issues, and areas for improvement.

Without constant performance analysis, it becomes impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of adoption, exposing the company to a high risk of wasting its investment and Copilot's potential.

For this reason, we have included access to detailed and real-time updated reporting with crucial information regarding:

• Impact of Copilot on internal processes
• User adoption rate

Once user needs and issues are identified, the company can rely on our support to make targeted interventions in internal training activities. But that's not all.

Thanks to vertical expertise in software development, we offer an exclusive service for extending and customizing Microsoft Copilot functionalities with the creation of custom plugins.

Plugins allow Copilot to perform new functions within the company's digital workplace, such as:

• Processing data from software and applications external to Microsoft 365;
• Automating repetitive and low-value-added processes;
• Providing quick prompts based on users' real activities.

And much more.

Adoption to Microsoft 365 Copilot: Why join the community of practice?

The community of practice for Microsoft 365 Copilot is a solution we designed to support user training. In particular, the community serves to not abandon people in the use of AI after completing basic training.

It is a Viva Engage community that we have customized to bring together our original training content on Copilot and make it available in a single point of the company's digital workplace.

We take care of publishing content in the community, offering users always updated information and resources on Copilot news and its functionalities. To consolidate training on Microsoft 365 Copilot, the community of practice provides access to:

• 1 monthly webinar dedicated to using Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps
• Live Q&A sessions with our experts to answer user questions
• Microlearning courses and lessons on Copilot
• Informative clips
• 100+ FAQs

Users can also access Copilot Tips & Tricks shared by our experts to learn how to use AI effectively in everyday life. Some of the most appreciated tips concern Prompt Engineering, which is the effective writing of prompts to guide Copilot in generating relevant responses and content for users' requests, thus reducing the time spent to get the desired output.

Viva Engage features also allow creating personalized gamification experiences, making training more dynamic and engaging. For example, it is possible to enrich the community with quizzes, prize challenges, and collectible badges for each training goal achieved.

Viva Engage integrates with SharePoint Online intranet to bring the content of our community of practice into a dedicated area for training on Microsoft 365 Copilot.

FAQ on the adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot

Why is a structured plan necessary to adopt Microsoft 365 Copilot?

‍A structured plan ensures efficient use of Copilot, reducing resistance to change, improving communication, and optimizing productivity.

What are common mistakes in Copilot adoption?

‍Mistakes include neglecting training, underestimating resistance to AI, and improper management of user permissions.

What are the key steps for effective adoption of Copilot?

• Customized training
• Clear communication
• Continuous monitoring
• Security assessments

How can companies address resistance to Copilot?

‍Through targeted training, clear communication of benefits, and gradual integration.