Managing a Successful Transformation
As we all know, launching a digital transformation task is not a ‘set it and forget it’ endeavor. Once the strategy launches, there are a whole host of angles to manage and be mindful of, to ensure the company doesn’t lose focus, lose steam, or lose their way. Effectively managing the digital journey means having the ability to:
- Validate priorities
- Manage impacts to the business
- Manage financial requirements
- Monitor effort levels
- Monitor timeline
- Preserve Agility
Below you will find resources from industry experts to help you effectively manage your digital transformation journey.
MANAGING THE DIGITAL JOURNEY: TIPS FROM AN EXPERT
It’s a team effort to execute a successful digital transformation, and transformations are successfully executed over time. The Digital Journey is a process of concurrent steps including: the planning stages of a digital strategy, initiating and instilling a culture shift, planning and financing the transformation, and defining KPIs to measure to define whether the transformation was successful.
The key component in this journey, however, is the ability and the willingness to test and iterate. Consider using the Design Thinking methodology. This methodology encourages iterating at every stage of the process.
Next Dimension compiled a list of the top questions business leaders have been asking about the Digital Journey. Together, with Cisco, we touched on all phases of the transformation; from defining the leader, to planning and financing, through to the successful execution and optimization. Here are the 12 Questions we asked a Digital Transformation Expert, highlighting a few key quotes from Yarnell’s answers.
#1. As an expert, what does Digital Transformation mean to you?
“Taking something very manual and turning it into a positive experience through the use of technology.”
#2. Digital Transformations can be complex. How can we simplify the process?
“How can we help automate just a small piece first? And then what’s next? And then what’s after next?
#3. What stage in the transformation journey would you find most businesses today?
“I think most organizations are now looking at ‘where do we want to go?’ But they don’t necessarily have a plan of how to get there.”
4. What is a culture shift and how do you execute one?
“I think that we have to get buy-in from each of the individual departments to get us to that direction they’re trying to go. How do they shift from their current paradigm, to doing what they do on a digital platform?”
5. How do you avoid falling back into “old” habits instead of transforming forward?
“Instead of having a mandate of ‘we’re going to do this’, its all around ‘hey, if we did this, how would that impact you?’ “
6. What are some of the biggest roadblocks that mid-size businesses face along the journey?
“Avoid saying ‘I don’t have the budget to do that, so I’m not even going to entertain that’ “
7. What do you do with the strategy you started pre-pandemic? HINT: Don’t toss it!
“Time to rethink; how do I change my business now in a way that’s going to give me the biggest return on investment?”
8. What are the best ways to budget for, and finance the Digital Transformation?
“I do think creating a roadmap and putting a framework in place of ‘How do we get to where we want to go?’ is incredibly valuable.”
9. What are the first signs that the Digital Transformation needs to be adjusted?
“Are we hitting our metrics? If we are, great! Let’s accelerate those. Let’s move fast! If not, let’s fail fast.”
10. Which departments inside a business handle transformation the best? Which departments typically pose the biggest challenge?
“The last thing anybody wants is ‘hey, by the way, we’re going this direction. We bought this technology and its yours to support it.’ “
11. How can businesses continue to optimize? What should their shifted priorities be?
“How do we take what they’ve done and celebrate their success, and how do we rinse and repeat their success in other departments?”
12. How do you measure if your Digital Transformation was successful?
“Employee satisfaction and employee involvement. And looking at it and say, how excited are people to tell this story?”
Achieving Digital Maturity through Optimization
Achieving Digital Maturity means you have completed your transformation, and have a sound process for continuous improvement. The organization is digitally optimized once there’s a process in place to continuously align structure with people, tasks, and culture.
Ready to mature into Digital Optimization? We’ve got tools and resources to continue to support your organization.
