Digital transformation dos and don'ts

The majority of businesses are investing heavily in upgrading their operations and services through digitization and automation, but 70% of projects currently fail.  Our own research with Shared Services Link found that despite so much technology at our fingertips, many senior leaders are swamped with manual work (43%) and rely on manual methods such as excel to track the progress of tasks (63%). 

To help ensure success, we've compiled a list of do's and don'ts for digital transformation, with the help of Emergence Partners.

Dos and don’ts of digital transformation

We asked Katie Swannell-Gibbs, Founding Partner at Emergence and member of the Intelligent Automation Collection to share her expertise on digital transformation. These are her trusted do’s and don’ts…

DO Focus on the overall digital strategy

Often when business leaders think about the IT tools they need, they are thinking of how to solve a very particular problem. Many haven’t taken a step back and thought about what technology the organization needs as a whole in order to fulfill its overall strategy.

DO Prioritize change management

At the heart of any tech project must be the people who use it. Delivering real and lasting transformation typically requires a major reset in mind-sets and behaviors, something that few leaders know how to achieve. Make this a focus.

DO Secure the support of executive leadership 

Get buy-in from the top early on. You need the new technologies and processes you implement to be embraced organization-wide.

DO Get on with it

Business transformation can feel a little overwhelming. You can spend ages investigating, analyzing and discussing transformation without having anything meaningful to show for it.  The only way you are going to know if your plan is going to work is to try it. Get started to defeat analysis paralysis.

DON’T Believe the tech hype

With all the noise surrounding shiny new tech, it’s easy for business leaders to get carried away by the promises of greater efficiency and cost savings. Having a clear strategy and trusted partners is crucial.

DON’T Underestimate perception

Many people fear losing their job to a robot! Reframe transformation plans as augmentation, rather than artificial intelligence and that technology empowers people to work in a more intelligent way.

DON’T Be afraid to outsource tech

High competition for IT talent can make it difficult to recruit the workers needed to carry out tech projects successfully. That’s why it’s important to know when you need outside help, and to act quickly. 

DON’T Make processes ‘one size fits all’ 

Flexibility is key when dealing with different regions, customer expectations and service demands. Resist the urge to standardize processes across the board and instead focus on achieving a consistent experience.

How long should digital transformation take?

There is no definitive answer to how long a digital transformation project will take, but you can make a rough estimate based on the size of your business. 

There are a few other contributing factors that will also affect your timeframe. This starts with how ready your business is for transformation, for example, the state and age of your existing systems and processes. Your project can also be affected by the length of time it takes to approve your budget and plan. Finally, the complexity and scale of your organization must also be taken into account. Naturally, the more wide-reaching and complicated your operations are, the longer it will take. 

Remember, transformation is a constantly evolving project that will take time, it won’t be an overnight fix. It’s not as simple as adopting new technologies and letting the chips fall where they may. Successful transformation requires a complete cultural shift, which can only be achieved through a comprehensive strategy that’s fully aligned with your business goals.

About Emergence

Emergence is a new breed of tech consultancy. We exist to make the world a better place to live and work through the thoughtful adoption of advanced technologies.  

We set out to be different. To be true strategic partners to our clients. To listen. To move fast, with passion and purpose. 

We blend independent technology expertise with an understanding of human impact – we never forget that people are at the heart of every business and the communities around them. We improve the way businesses do things in order to exceed the expectations of their customers, employees and shareholders.

About Enate

No matter what stage of your digital transformation journey you are at, Enate can help you to achieve your goals. Our end-to-end platform wraps around your tech stack, can integrate with automation software for greater efficiency and enables you to track and manage all work, in one place.