Generate Agents with ADKAR Design Thinking

Why Design Thinking Belongs in the ADKAR Knowledge Phase of Copilot Adoption, and this is where I introduced it successfully at Law firms.

Copilot Microsoft Partners can provide users with a webinar, a prompt guide, or a list of Copilot features. Yet many still struggle to turn license holders into active users who create value. The real question isn’t: “Do people know what Copilot is?” It’s: “Do people know how Copilot helps them in their specific role?” and where “Design Thinking” becomes incredibly powerful.

WHITEBOARD CANVAS TEMPLATE: Design Thinking Inside ADKAR Knowledge Phase – contact me directly for a preview!

Design Thinking can strengthen the Knowledge phase of ADKAR. While Awareness and Desire help people understand why change is happening, the Knowledge phase answers: “How do I actually do this?”. Traditionally, organisations respond with generic training. A Design Thinking approach looks different. Copilot created a Whiteboard template for me to run these sessions. Happy to share the approach on request.

1. Empathise. Start by understanding how people work today. What tasks consume time? Where are the bottlenecks? What frustrates employees? Which use cases excite them? This shifts learning from feature-focused to outcome-focused. Instead of: “Here’s how Copilot creates a PowerPoint.” We move towards: “Here’s how your sales team can prepare for client meetings in half the time.”

2. Define. Once we understand user needs, we can identify the real knowledge gaps. For example: Lack of confidence writing prompts. Limited understanding of data security. Uncertainty about when to trust outputs. No clear use cases relevant to their role. Without this step, organisations often create content that answers questions nobody is asking.

3. Ideate. Now we can design learning experiences that people actually want to engage with. This might include: Role-based learning pathways. Department-specific prompt libraries. Copilot Champions communities. Scenario-based workshops. Quick-win use case guides. The goal is value, not volume!

4. Prototype. Before launching a large-scale programme, test it. Run: Pilot workshops. Champion sessions. Small learning cohorts. Use case discovery activities. Gather feedback early with Success Story Outcomes. Adjust quickly. Avoid investing heavily in training that misses the mark.

5. Test. Measure whether knowledge is translating into adoption with the Copilot Dashboard and monitor weekly! Ask: Are people using Copilot differently? Are they discovering new use cases? Is confidence increasing? Are productivity gains emerging? Knowledge should ultimately lead to Ability and Reinforcement. If people understand Copilot but never use it, the Knowledge phase has not been successful.

Why This Matters. Too many adoption programmes focus on teaching features.  Successful adoption focuses on helping people solve problems. That’s a subtle but critical difference. Design Thinking helps ensure that the knowledge we provide is: ✅ Relevant ✅ Practical ✅ Role-specific ✅ User-centred ✅ Actionable.

Outcome: When learning is designed thoughtfully with humans, they gain confidence faster, discover value sooner, and are more likely to embed Copilot into their daily work!