Why Your Tech Projects Fail (And How Adoption Fixes It)

In this episode of Finance Focus, Brendan Ritchie sits down with Ross Sardi and Jarrod Morris to unpack one of the most overlooked parts of digital transformation: adoption.You’ve invested in technology, built the business case, and forecasted the returns… but what happens if your people don’t use it?Explore how adoption rates multiply ROI, why executive sponsorship is essential, and how to turn resistors into advocates.🔥 You’ll learn:- Why ROI × Adoption Rate = Actual ROI — and how to boost both- How to identify and engage “constructive resistors” in your team- The role of leadership in modelling adoption (“a fish stinks from its head”)- Why zero-based budgeting and continuous improvement matter for long-term ROIIf you’re a CFO, technology leader, or finance professional navigating digital transformation, this conversation will help you turn tools into outcomes and make every dollar deliver.Chapters: 0:35 – Why adoption is the multiplier for ROI1:30 – Measuring and respecting adoption metrics3:00 – Internal vs external adoption (staff & customers)5:00 – Changing behaviour and onboarding momentum6:00 – Involving users early in discovery7:00 – Executive sponsorship and leading by example8:30 – The Technology Acceptance Model explained9:40 – The psychology of adoption and the power of “why”11:20 – Dealing with resistors and driving cultural alignment13:30 – Turning resistors into champions15:00 – Avoiding perfection paralysis: solving for 80%16:30 – Continuous improvement and zero-based budgeting18:00 – Wrapping up: adoption as a mindset