FEATURE: DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
needs to be done to ensure that it gets
where it wants to be.
Businesses will have a variety of reasons for
pursuing Digital Transformation projects
and will be approaching it from different
places. Projects will look different, too. They
could be big or small, aimed at overhauling
entire systems or just changing a small part
of the workplace. Recognising this instead
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Don’t forget culture
However, changing processes and
introducing new technologies alone won’t
create prolonged Digital Transformation.
Instead, Digital Transformation must be
embedded into the culture and internal
processes of an organisation; it’s important
to avoid simply bolting on the technology
to existing operations. Instead, vendors
TO BECOME AN ORGANISATION THAT’S
DIGITAL THROUGH AND THROUGH, ANY
TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY MUST
RECOGNISE THAT INCORPORATING
TECHNOLOGY INTO CULTURE IS
NEEDED FOR PROLONGED SUCCESS.
of implementing standardised changes will
enable transformation projects to succeed,
ensuring that the client doesn’t feel like
they’re just another project that a vendor
doesn’t devote time or attention to.
It’s also important to align a Digital
Transformation strategy with a customer’s
specific needs.
Within organisations, there are often
conflicting and overlapping ideas of what
a Digital Transformation project should
look like. For example, the Chief Innovation
Officer might be looking to modernise Edge
technologies or key applications, while the
IT director is concerned with optimising the
current set up. This is where the consultative
approach becomes key.
When creating a bespoke Digital
Transformation programme, vendors should
consult all stakeholders to ensure that every
change is aligned to business objectives.
Doing so will deliver solutions that help
organisations achieve their goals and
manage competing demands, as a consultant
can advise on what is immediately achievable
and create a plan outlining changes across all
aspects of the business.
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INTELLIGENTCIO
should work with customers to clearly
establish where digital practices fit within
an organisation and their role in day-to-
day operations.
Of course, every organisation will operate
differently. Some may already be using
Unified Communications (UC) systems
for conference calls and may work
collaboratively across shared central systems
– whereas others may still be listening to
the monotonous salsa music while waiting
for someone to join the call at the other
end. As such, it’s imperative to assess how
and in what context people interact with
technology. From there, a vendor can tailor
the Digital Transformation project even
further so that it aligns with employees’
existing skills and responsibilities.
Transactional and
transformational changes
Digital Transformation should introduce
both transactional and transformational
changes. Transactional changes are those
which alter the everyday tasks of employees
in an organisation – they occur at the most
basic level. Employees may find that Digital
Transformation introduces new ways of
interacting with technology on a day-to-day
basis that they’re not familiar with. Their
email or internal communication system
might change, or they may be required to
use different document systems, which can
cause stress and anxiety.
Transformational changes, in contrast,
are bigger adjustments that affect an
organisation’s entire digital makeup and
span far beyond everyday tasks.
They might include radical changes to an
IT system, moving to a cloud computing
structure, or using AI throughout the
business. These changes occur over time
and can overhaul how an organisation
operates completely. Again, a consultative,
intimate approach to Digital Transformation
will ensure that these changes don’t feel
overwhelming and that they run seamlessly
throughout the workplace, causing
minimal disruption. In addition, this
approach will help blue-sky thinkers and
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