Without a doubt, digital transformation – i.e., businesses in numerous industries shifting their operations from legacy computing hardware and software to the most cutting-edge technologies – has been nothing short of a game-changer. At the same time, because there is no one-size-fits-all way to go about this process, it can sometimes become overcomplicated, which may in turn diminish enthusiasm for the transformation itself. Additionally, Fast Company reported that economic pressure related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused some organizations to rush through their efforts to modernize IT instead of taking the time to get everything right.
For those in the early stages of digital transformation or planning to enter them soon, it may be best not to let things get more complex than they need to be and follow the lesson of the tortoise versus the hare:"Slow and steady wins the race." Taking these approaches, as well as other, similar best practices, can help companies best position themselves for success while pursuing digitization.
Don't expect perfection right away
Even a smaller-scale or single-phase digital transformation project, like updating your network from an MPLS setup to a virtualized SD-WAN, can become far more difficult than it needs to be if those involved are expecting everything to be perfect right off the bat. The Enterprisers Project noted that since things change so fast in the tech world, it's best to establish and fulfill minimum requirements for a transformation project first and then improve on it over time.
Develop clear priorities
Digital transformation for its own sake (the "everyone else is doing it" mindset) can end up being a shallow gesture. You should have one or more clear goals in mind for the tech updates you plan to make. According to Fast Company, improving the customer experience is a common objective in successful transformations, as organizations with that priority enact every change informed by that goal. Considering that Harvard Business Review notes that digital transformation can sometimes occur without concurrent improvements to privacy policies, protecting customer and internal data could be another key priority of your transformation.
Make it a group effort
If IT teams manage digital transformation largely alone, they'll focus on things that matter most to IT and perhaps eschew needs like ease of use, which must at least be a relative concern. Similarly, if HR were (hypothetically) leading the charge, they might focus too closely on specific personnel issues. To avoid this, it's critical to have buy-in and participation from all segments of the business.
Strong leadership
In addition to organization-spanning cooperation, Forbes India noted that successful digital transformation initiatives benefit from the clear vision and strong leadership of C-suite members. Chief information and technology officers will play particularly large roles in such efforts, and YES Partners can help you find the perfect candidates for such pivotal responsibilities. To see some of the roles that we have already successfully placed, click here.
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