The most important aspect of systems is aligning people to use them on their own. They must want to use it. That's when systems work and the business comes alive as an independent entity.

To make people willing to use your systems, you need to give them the same insights and reasons for your systems. The same reasons and insights that convinced you to make whatever system you made, also have the power to convince them.

But when you try to tell them, you will see blank faces. They did not understand the full impact and importance of your idea! Some will even be confused.

This is why setting a frame of context is needed. You see the importance of your insight only because you see other things that you can connect the dots to. Maybe you saw it work somewhere else. Or it is so obvious, you wonder why you didn't see it before.

But, they don't have that same information or context in their minds to be able to connect the dots.

Therefore, the simple answer is to first show them the other dots of information (context) and then introduce the insight slowly to let them make the connections. It is crucial they make these connections on their own, because then it is also their insight. Till then it is only a 3rd party product; how much ever you try to impose it.

An easy way to do this is simply by describing the situations or an example of what usually happens, then lead them to the insight with ‘what if’ questions. “xyz happened, but what if we did abc before that?”

If they still don't get it, take more specific situations, or take situations they've been personally been involved in. If they still don't get it, wait till they have the experience again & ask them when the experience is fresh.

Once they get it, continue asking questions about the impact that it would generate. Just ask them open ended questions like “what do you think will happen if we do it like this?" or “how will this feel like to our customers?".

This gives them space to look at the insight & its implications in a deeper way. It gives them a view on what real world impact your system could have. It also makes it theirs.

Some of them may have to try it a few times to fully get it, but at least now they know what they're looking for! You can also help them by bringing it up everytime they experience the new way. Just compare it to the old way. Ask them how is it better.

So, to summarise, this is the simple 2 step process for alignment:

1. Give the whole situation and ask what would happen if you did it in a different way

2. Ask for difference; or make them experience the new way so they can see and feel the difference.