This vision was created with the focus to drive the entire Kindle team to one goal , a digital one , a transformative one .
Priorities As you complete the shared vision , and there is a lot to unpack in that part , you will be able to identify problems that the industry has , your target market , the clients you want to impact , etc . and these problems could be an endless list .
So we have to choose the problems that are the highest priorities and will create the opportunities we need to create a lasting impact . The importance of this phase is to identify the problems and to reframe them as opportunities .
Once again we can look at the Kindle vision and find the problems there :
PROBLEM
Where are we going to store all these books ?
How do we deliver books to every person who buys one ?
OPPORTUNITY
How might we create space to store all the books ever printed ?
How might we design a delivery system to deliver books bought ?
These are just examples , but the intent is to reframe the problem into an opportunity , and solving the opportunity opens the conversation or design possibilities .
Steve Jobs had a design rule that was the opportunity in anything that was designed by Apple - the 3-click rule - basically , the rule was that within 3 clicks you should be at your destination . This challenged the engineers to solve problems completely and through this , they invented the click-wheel technology we saw on the iPod . It might have looked something like this “ How might we improve navigation in 3-clicks ”.
Validation At this point , we have given ourselves the right to win a market and we ’ ve identified the opportunities . The next step , which is the make or break of the project , is the validation , of how we can test and validate our ideas . To architects , this process should feel very much a part of them , as we want to break this down into useful steps .
These steps are : 1 . Problem Validation . Napkin sketch , the basic version of a block layout on the side of your meeting minutes . 2 . Solution Validation . Spatial arrangement , a 3D block diagram of how it all fits together . 3 . Product Validation . The detailed planning to ensure it works and is buildable .
4 . Business Validation . Costing and Programming , to make sure if it ’ s built that it will work from a business point of view . These stages will need constant review by the market you ’ ve identified ( internally or externally ) to ensure that when the idea starts to fail we can either change direction or stop it at once . It ’ s designed to fail smart if we need it .
Governance One important consideration is the governance of a company and its various legs . This can include existing contracts , organisational structures , approvals and ownership , budgeting processes , or just business as usual ( BAU ).
Governance is an important factor and can make or break a DX process if not managed correctly or changed completely . As the DX is rolling out , we need to make sure that we relook our leadership in innovation and the approvals that go with it .
The best outcome we want out of the governance stages is to manage the growth , especially at scale , through an iterative ( rapid ) design-build process . In a similar way to how start-ups find and use the money to scale their platform as they are developing smaller increments of the app , so should we not look for iterative approvals , funding & implementation ?
Capabilities All of this won ’ t be able to happen if we don ’ t ‘ take stock ’ of our capabilities . This is more than just the people and their skills , or lack thereof , it also talks about hardware , software and systems technology .
Knowing what you have and can do will let you know what you don ’ t have and can ’ t do , especially when you are starting to scale your DX and need to reach a new height to ensure value is created .
A good way is to have some ‘ maps ’ for your staff and a ‘ shortcut ’ for your tech stack , but more so , is to think about your culture-process map to ensure that all the right people join at the right time to ensure DX at scale is successful .
Conclusion Our journey towards DX begins today with the right mindset and framework . By addressing common pitfalls - such as lack of shared vision , limited growth opportunities , and rigid governance structures - we can pave the way for successful transformation . It ’ s crucial to understand that DX is not merely about digitising existing processes or implementing new technologies ; it ’ s about fundamentally changing the way our practices operate and deliver value .
With a clear vision , prioritised opportunities , robust validation processes , adaptive governance , and enhanced capabilities , we can ensure that our efforts in DX lead to meaningful improvements in efficiency , innovation , and client satisfaction . By following these guidelines , we position ourselves among the 30 % of companies that will succeed in this journey .
Let ’ s embrace continuous exploration and innovation to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape , transforming our practices and the broader built environment for the better .
References
• Digital America : A tale of the haves and have-mores : www . mckinsey . com
• The Digital Transformation Roadmap : https :// davidrogers . digital / digital-transformation-roadmap
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