StrataFusion partners frequently meet and speak with business leaders across industries. This network of clients, colleagues and peers provides valuable insights into how companies view digital transformation, culture, operational and organizational challenges in the digital age.
Digital Transformation has been a revolutionizing force for business for more than a decade. It’s an exciting time for companies, but also brings many challenges that can test leaders and cultures.
While there are things common to business that every CIO should consider, the journey is different for everyone. We recently spoke to two heads of technology at mid-size companies to understand their views on Digital Transformation and how it fits with their strategy. Both are fairly young companies in similar industries with less than 20 years in operation. Given the age of these companies, you might assume they would not face much need for digital transformation, that they already have the underlying technology, skills and processes ready to evolve in step with the market demands and new entrants. Here is what they had to say.
The first company in our comparison is all about solving for complexity: complexity of systems, technologies, decision-making, methodologies and all the interrelatedness that needs to be addressed. The questions they ask center around the following:
The other company in our comparison is focused more on starting with results and less on starting with strategy. It is about looking at some of the “quick wins” to move the case for transformation forward. The questions they ask center around:
It’s clear that even younger companies and start-ups have digital transformation challenges. The size of the problem may be different, but the legacy (and the potential for legacy) issues can be very similar to larger, more mature organizations.
Is there a right answer to what approach is best for transformation success? Even if in the same industry, every company is different: from the communications of their leadership teams to their workforce and their culture; what works for one may not work for the other. This is the value a trusted advisor delivers: experience that understands the unique facets every company brings to the equation of any digital change in the business model. That’s our approach.
Now it’s your turn to weigh in! We love feedback, so share your thoughts in the comments.
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Future installments on this topic will dive into StrataFusions’s point of view on various approaches to transformation. We will provide deeper consideration around the successful starting points, the questions and data needed for successful digital transformation.
Author:
Jim Murphy 2019
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