What is Digital Transformation (Dx) and why does it matter?

What is Digital Transformation (Dx) and why does it matter?

• May 10, 2016
• Posted By admin
• <span>1</span> Comment

Dx encompasses cultural, workforce and technological change. Technology is a key driver of change in any organisation. In a recent Harvard Business Review article titled “Digital Transformation is not about Technology, the authors cite that spend on implementing technology was 1.3 trillion dollars in 2018. The eyebrow raising statistic is not the total amount, it is that an estimated 900 billion dollars went to waste. Not because the technology was bad, but primarily because there was no change in mindset in the members of the organisation.

Arguably the most important element of Dx is the organisation’s strategy and its authenticity. An authentic a vision and mission is not derived from generic marketing slogans which no one believes, least of all the workforce. Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle model Ted Talk, eruditely articulates what professional advertising and branding agencies have been tapping into for decades, emotional engagement. The workforce must be emotionally engaged if you have any hope of changing mindset. If your workforce does not believe it, then they will not see the value in it.

The main point of the HBR paper is that successful technology implementation is completely dependent on what members envision the future of the organisation to be and their role in it. The choice of technology tools in the organization is completely dependent on the organizational strategy not the other way around.

Technology is in service of people and is not the driver of change within the organisation. In other words no amount of Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Programming or gadgetry will make your widget or service a success unless it has a perceived value.

Dx is not about technology, it is primarily about people and their mindset. Manage the people and the uptake of technology will naturally result.