A New Framework for Digital Transformation Success
Mastering the digital transformation toolset, skillset and mindset
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What is digital transformation, really? Is it the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business? Is the cultivation of a culture that values iterative experimentation? A radical rethinking of how an organization uses technology to develop new business models and revenue streams?
Is all of the above? None of the above?
According to Tony Saldanha, President of Inixia - and former head of P&G’s Global Business Services (GBS) organization - digital transformation is a dynamic concept. “If you asked 12 people on the street how they define ‘digital transformation,’ you would get a different answer each time.”
More than anything, successful digital transformations are uniquely suited to their organization’s current challenges and future strategic objectives. There is no established roadmap for success; each organization must formulate their own, singular vision and implementation plan.
However, when it comes to envisioning digital transformation success, where does one even begin? Furthermore, as difficult as conceptualizing a digital transformation strategy is, actually making it happen can be just as hard, if not more so. As Tony explains, “While the C-Suite may be instrumental in establishing key outcomes (a.k.a. what the digital transformation should accomplish), they can’t tell you how it will happen. How to combine the vision with the day-to-day.”
Following years of intensive research into what makes or breaks digital transformations, Tony and his team at Inixia have developed a holistic, digital transformation framework that marries higher order skills with more structured methodologies.
Though the framework will be shared in its entirety and discussed in-depth at the upcoming Business Transformation Workshop taking place on various days from October 26-November 18, Tony and his fellow panelists shared a preview of what they’ll be exploring during a recent webinar, “How To Avoid The 70% Business Transformation Failure Rate,” which you can watch HERE.
In short, the framework incorporates the 3 key areas of digital transformation success: the toolset, mindset, and skillset.
TOOLSET
Paramount to achieving an in-depth understanding of what your business truly needs is the application of proven qualitative research techniques (i.e. 1:1 interviews, focus groups, and direct observation to fully understand “what the business needs”. Embracing established project management and idea generation approaches such as Design Thinking, Futures Thinking, Innovation by Analogy, and Systematic Inventive Thinking will also ensure you are best positioned to structure your digital transformation.
SKILLSET
It’s no secret that business transformations often require massive upskilling efforts. Beyond simply training employees to use new IT solutions, cultivating digital-first skill sets such as critical thinking and data literacy are essential to ensure all employees are prepared to play their part in ensuring digital transformation success.
Another key component of this is learning to speak the language of the business. When spearheading business transformation, it’s critical to think and talk like a Wall Street analyst, especially when interacting with the C-suite.
MINDSET
The three panelists all agreed, cultivating a digital-first mindset across the enterprise is probably the most challenging aspect of business transformation. As Javier Cano, VP, Global HR Operations at Lowe's Companies Inc. puts it, it’s the failure to “execute to excellence - they have the toolset and the skillset, but not the mindset.”
“Disrupting yourself should be built into the DNA of every employee at the company,” Tony explains. One powerful enabler of this is storytelling - code switching from “speaking like a wall street analyst” to building compelling narratives that empower employees to innovate on their own terms.
