Now is the time for transformation, get the right people around you and go.
2020 has shown that now is the right time for digital transformation. Organizations cannot afford to put if off any more, and many of those who have started, need to tear up the playbook and get with the program. The events of 2020 have sent many companies into meltdown and the disruption of a global pandemic has refocused digital priorities and put transformation into sharp focus.
This is no longer the remit of large slow-moving consultancies, looking for massive sums to audit everything, and generate 3 or even 5 year change programs. This crisis makes it plain that digital transformation needs to happen now, it requires vision, ambition, and the backing of the c-suite to get moving – but it also needs a nimble and agile approach to strategy. Gartner reports that although 91 per cent of companies pursue some form of digital transformation, only 40 per cent report successfully achieving it. As often as not that is because it is inflated into something that’s impossible to achieve. It’s time for organizations to put digital transformation at the forefront of their business strategy, and to use digital (and design) thinking and approaches to manage and maintain the focus of their strategy.
For many, digital will be the fastest and most cost-effective way to transform their business for the new normal. Customer-centricity should be at the heart of every aspect of these changes and improvements. In 2020, companies must provide people with products, services and experiences that they really want; not impose or assume their solution will be accepted. It’s also easy to be seduced by ‘the next big thing’ – whether that be a new technology platform, or a bold new business model. But before being seduced ensure you stay true to your organization’s purpose to evolve your product roadmap.
You need to understand what any new choice will mean to the business, and what it offers to those customers and stakeholders. Talk to them, and if it doesn’t resonate, just keep moving. Always work to a clear product roadmap to test and evaluate new ideas against it. Incorporate a rigorous testing program within that decision-making process.
Digital transformation can feel elusive: just as you think you’ve made progress, a new horizon presents itself. But perseverance is crucial, as is having an aerial strategic view of the progress you do make – it can be hard to see when you are in the weeds. Keep in mind that continuous or incremental innovation is the way most successful transformations are heading now, on the basis that there can never be a final end point. You need to celebrate those successes to keep up the impetus, however small they may be – they bring the business with you and keep morale high.
Ultimately successful digital transformation relies on people. You need knowledgeable capable people with the experience to guide you through challenging waters, and to spot those increments that can get you on the road to transformation success. You need a cross-section of disciplines and seniorities, but people with real go-forward and desire to make change happen fast. Get those people around you and go, or if you need a hand get in touch.
