Digital transformation is a rather vague concept, which ranges from the implementation of services in the cloud to the establishment of emerging technologies and new ways of working to accompany a change in the economic model.
Six digital leaders give us their advice on how to make this change happen.
1. Identify the needs of your business
Any digital business that does not work with other IT and business leaders to identify its key needs is setting itself up for failure in the digital transformation process.
Adam Miller, IT manager at Markerstudy Group, points out that in order to carry out large projects such as this, you have to take the time to consult with other executives.
“Make time to see each other. You need to have regular contact and stay on the same wavelength,” he advises.
“My role is mainly to provide what my business needs to succeed in the areas of finance, human resources, marketing and brokerage. It’s a very large group, I have to make sure that all the business units have what they need. »
2. Prepare to experiment
Mia Sorgi, director of product and digital experiences at grocery giant PepsiCo Europe, says business leaders who want to get the most out of digitalization will have to fumble.
His company partners with recognized specialists to find innovative solutions to business challenges in a variety of fields, including connected chillers, distribution systems and all other technology sectors.
According to her, it is very important for PepsiCo to continue to experiment. His team recently conducted a project based on gesture recognition, which allowed customers at a KFC restaurant to order with just hand movements.
“What we’ve learned about experimenting with new solutions is how necessary it is,” she says. “It’s not a test if you already know how it’s going to work. We don’t always know how things will turn out. So you have to know how to take measured risks to create something new. »
3. Your people should be your number one priority
According to Stephen Booth, CIO of Coventry University, if you want to turn big ideas into real solutions, your people are critical to the success of the project.
“You have to start with the corporate culture first,” he says. “One of our favorite sayings is to always put the team together first, then submit a project to them. Don’t start with your project and then cobble together a suitable team. »
If it is crucial to maintain a healthy atmosphere between the people who will carry out this project, the executives must also see further. Involve the people who will need to use these technologies. “It’s about seeing if you can effectively bring people together to work as a team to collaborate hand-in-hand, rather than checking in every three months. If you don’t change your culture and the way you operate, you will end up with efficient technology, but no deep changes in the company”, warns the CIO.
4. Accompany the transformation process
Daniel Smith, Head of Analytics at PANGAIA, is another digital leader who highlights the importance of company culture in the transformation process.
He believes that organizations should first and foremost focus on how they will achieve their goals: “I think change management is probably the most underestimated aspect, when it’s the area that actually causes the more problems. »
He champions techniques like process mapping – which details how the objective will be achieved – and fit-gap analysis, which helps identify the company’s objective and gaps in performance that need to be filled.
“You have to understand what you’re doing today and what you need to do tomorrow,” he explains. “You need to focus on systematic process changes and what that means in terms of adaptability. Understand how and why people do things differently. »
5. Prove you’re trustworthy
Craig York, CTO at University Hospital Milton Keynes, says building a high level of trust is crucial for leaders who want to drive effective digital transformation.
“I’ve been here a long time and while it’s necessary to keep everyone well informed, to attend board meetings and explain to them what we are doing, it is possible in our company to just hanging out with enthusiastic people who really care about what they want to offer this company to the patients of Milton Keynes,” he says.
Once a team has conducted an effective digitization, they can gain the trust of the business to make further changes.
“Allowing people working in IT professions to practice their professions in complete safety, knowing that there will be no sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, is essential. We have proven that this is the right way to progress. »
6. Focus on user experience
Spencer Clarkson, CTO at enterprise services specialist Verastar, argues that technology is just the start of digital transformation. The real change is finding ways to use these tools and services to meet customer demands.
“It’s about people understanding that you can develop certain technologies, but you have to think about the customer first – think about the user experience – in order to ensure that digital transformation delivers the desired results,” he explains.
According to him, an effective digital transformation does not have to involve a massive change in the company. It can be as silly as gathering information in one place, so that employees have a 360-degree view of key key metrics (customer satisfaction ratings, requirements, etc.).
“Once you have a solution like that in place, it benefits everyone,” he argues. “What we have started here is a process of change that never really ends. Digital transformation is only a methodology to provide us with a basis capable of supporting change. »
Source: ZDNet.com