The Shannen Green Playbook: 4 Steps to Drive Adoption and Success with Your Aquatic Informatics Software
For many water utilities, the daily reality of data management is a patchwork of manual logbooks, multiple Excel spreadsheets, and disconnected digital files. This siloed approach, where data is stored in different places for different reasons, makes it nearly impossible to understand the dynamic performance of the system as a whole. It creates inefficiencies, invites errors, and undermines confidence in the very data needed for critical decisions. This was the exact challenge facing Del-Co Water Company. They moved away from these fragmented processes by implementing Hach WIMS from Aquatic Informatics, a centralized platform designed to bring all their water data into a single source of truth. But technology is only part of the story. The success of this transition was driven by the dedication of an internal leader: Shannen Green. A 28-year veteran and the utility's Water Quality Manager. She took ownership of the new system and successfully guided her team from siloed data to unified confidence.
tep 1: Lead the Charge and Learn Hands-On
True leadership begins with personal accountability. Instead of just delegating a new technology, a great manager immerses themselves in it to understand its challenges and opportunities firsthand.
When Del-Co first implemented Hach WIMS, Shannen took on the responsibility of learning it from the ground up. She didn't want IT to "just hand me the finished product." She wanted to understand it completely. The path wasn't always smooth. "I made a lot of mistakes," Shannen admits. "Deleted variables that I shouldn't have and lost a lot of data." But by embracing the learning process, she became the go-to expert who could confidently guide her team.
Key Takeaway: Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. A manager who understands the system's intricacies is better equipped to support their team through challenges and advocate for its benefits.
Step 2: Make Buy-In a Priority, Not an Afterthought
For any new tool or process to stick, the people using it every day must believe in it. Pushing technology without fostering acceptance is a recipe for failure.
Shannen insists that the key to success is "getting the buy-in from the operators." When Hach WIMS was first set up, her team was given the chance to demo it and provide feedback on what they liked and didn't like. Now, as Del-Co implements the Hach WIMS platform, she's applying the same principle with a clear, low-pressure approach: "My plan is to have them try it for three weeks. If they don't like it, then they don't have to use it." This empowers the team, respects their experience, and gives the technology a chance to prove its own value.
Key Takeaway: Turn resistance into adoption by giving your team a voice and a trial period. When operators see the benefits themselves—like cutting down log-in times from 45 minutes to just 15—they become the technology's biggest champions.
Step 3: Unify Your Data to Build Unshakeable Confidence
Fragmented data is more than just an inconvenience; it creates doubt and slows down critical decisions. The goal is to move from siloed systems—paper bench sheets, manual filing, and disconnected digital entry—to a single source of truth that enables proactive management.
Before WIMS, retrieving historical data at Del-Co could take a full day. Now, it’s accessible in five minutes. This shift from reactive data-chasing to proactive analysis is a gamechanger. As Shannen puts it, "Hach WIMS is my single source of truth with audit trails and data." With centralized data, her team can spot issues and make chemical adjustments faster, all while knowing their decisions are backed by solid, defensible information. This unified confidence extends to compliance, where pushing data to EPA reports or lab certifications is no longer a monumental task but a simple 30-minute process.
Key Takeaway: Centralized, trustworthy data is the foundation of operational efficiency. It gives your team the confidence to make faster, smarter decisions that improve compliance and performance.
Step 4: Lean on Your Community and Support System
Leading change doesn't mean you have to have all the answers. The most effective managers know when to ask for help and how to leverage the resources available to them.
Shannen is quick to credit the support system around her. When she runs into an issue, she puts in a ticket with Aquatic Informatics' support. "It's like within an hour, they're getting a hold of me," she says, describing the customer service as "awesome" and "very patient." Beyond official support, she highlights the value of the user community, especially at events like the National User Conference (NUC). There, she found a network of peers who were "willing to give information freely" and share ideas, inspiring innovation and continuous improvement.
Key Takeaway: You are not alone. Leverage your vendor's support team and connect with other users in the industry. This community can help you solve problems faster and provide encouragement for how to be a successful change agent.
From Manager to Mentor
Becoming a changemaker like Shannen isn't about being perfect—it's about being present, proactive, and persistent. By leading hands-on, prioritizing your team's buy-in, unifying your data, and leaning on your community, you can empower your team with the tools and confidence they need to excel.
