Digital Adoption Is the Glue of Transformation—Not Just a Layer
By Greisy Flores
Why Reframe DAP from UX Enhancement to Business Infrastructure
In the fast-evolving enterprise landscape, digital transformation isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating. Global IT spending is expected to hit $5.61 trillion in 2025, with software investments climbing over $1 trillion annually. But despite these record-breaking investments, 38% of digital transformation efforts failed to meet their ROI objectives last year—most often due to a lack of end-user adoption.
The core issue? Many organizations still treat digital adoption as a surface-level initiative—an afterthought reserved for training or onboarding. But in reality, Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs) are not just UX enhancements. They are infrastructure.
1. Digital Adoption Is the Missing Operating System
Think about your IT infrastructure—networks, servers, cybersecurity, and DevOps pipelines. Now ask yourself: Where is your infrastructure for user enablement? Without a DAP strategy as rigorous as your system architecture, human friction will always bottleneck your transformation.
WalkMe’s State of Digital Adoption 2025 report found that the average large enterprise loses $104 million annually due to inefficiencies like poor application visibility, underutilized software, and employee frustration navigating complex tech stacks. These aren’t UX problems. They’re systemic breakdowns. DAPs serve as the connective tissue across apps, workflows, and people, enabling scalable innovation.
2. You Can’t Optimize What You Can’t See
CIOs often assume their organizations use around 37 applications. The reality? The average is 625 applications per enterprise, with 172 of them AI-powered. This 1,600% visibility gap is not just a data oversight—it’s a strategic risk. You can’t govern what you don’t know exists nor optimize what you can’t measure.
DAPs close this gap by offering:
- Cross-application analytics
- User journey tracking
- Real-time friction alerts
- In-the-flow feedback loops
Elite digital adopters who embrace all best practices, including CoEs and automation, see 30% higher app utilization rates and save $4.9 million monthly.
3. From Project to Platform: The Operating Model Shift
Digital adoption isn’t a one-time launch activity. It’s a continuous capability, and CIOs must govern it accordingly. Enterprises that build Digital Adoption Centers of Excellence (CoEs) are leading the pack -73 % now have 6+ employees dedicated to DAP efforts, up from 48% just two years ago.
Organizations that follow three or more digital adoption best practices achieve an 85% ROI on transformation projects. In contrast, those without best practices see only 22% ROI.
4. People-First Design Is Not Optional
The assumption that users will “figure it out” is outdated. Nearly 36 working days per year are lost per employee due to technology frustrations. That’s almost $10,000 in productivity loss per head annually. What’s worse, more than 65% of employees become frustrated with corporate tech within 132 days of starting a job.
DAPs rewire this equation by:
- Automating guidance
- Personalizing experiences
- Embedding support in the moment of need
This is not about convenience but confidence, productivity, and retention.
5. The Glue That Enables AI at Scale
As enterprises race to integrate GenAI, the lack of adoption infrastructure is now a significant blocker. While 28% of enterprise applications are AI-powered, only 32% of employees feel confident using them, and just 28% report receiving adequate training.
A DAP acts as the enablement layer for GenAI, ensuring:
- Safe and effective use of AI tools
- In-context support and governance
- Upskilling through embedded education
- Real-time feedback and optimization
Without this infrastructure, GenAI is just another tech investment waiting to disappoint.
Final Thought: Adoption Is the Strategy
Your most significant digital transformation risk isn’t poor tech—it’s invisible friction. The “unknown unknowns.” The blind spots are where productivity disappears, ROI evaporates, and innovation slows down.
Digital Adoption isn’t a layer. It’s the glue. It’s what holds your transformation together.
If you want to unlock the full value of your digital investments, especially in AI-powered enterprises, you must treat adoption as infrastructure. And that means DAP isn’t optional. It’s operational.
Data Source: WalkMe State of Digital Adoption 2024 & 2025
