Resistance to change is a common barrier to any initiative or innovation. Recognizing and addressing the issue through planning and communication can help to overcome it. Regarding the use of XML, all of the project teams saw individual and organizational resistance to change as a concern.

One program staff member summarized individual resistance to change as a “common problem in any organization. People don’t want change if what they’re currently doing is working, especially because what they’ve currently been doing has been no problem for them.” It’s important to recognize that certain individuals will resist change no matter what, so workarounds or accommodations may be necessary.

On the other hand, some individuals may find an incentive to change due to more efficient processes, better service and products, and less redundant work down the line. Since the changes will be felt throughout the entire organization, change has to be addressed across the organization, not just in the IT or Web unit. As a program staff member explained, you need to understand “how it will affect them [content developers] directly; if they can’t understand this, they are less likely to help implement it.”

Along with the resistance to change, the reluctance to abandon accepted technologies or procedures was also a common barrier. A technical staff member stated, “We’re changing the way we are doing business, so that’s a potential issue. We’re adding software that’s not part of the standard culture so in the infrastructure group, that’s going to be an issue.” If staff have grown accustomed to technologies and procedures that work for them (regardless of how inefficient they may appear to an impartial observer), it is difficult to convince them to change on a promise. Fortunately, because it’s a non-proprietary, open standard, XML does not present an either/or situation. It integrates well with existing technologies and procedures. At the same time, because of the efficiencies it brings to content management and Web workflow processes, XML can offer a strong alternative to accepted practices.