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Digital transformation: the struggle and how to get on with it?

Digital transformation

Let’s agree to disagree that the organizations have achieved complete digital transformation

The current pain is ‘Digital transformation’ and understanding what’s working for us and what’s not. After attending amazing conference on Hyper-automation and Digital Transformation organized by AutomationEdge, we have discussed with clients and partners about the opportunities and frustration of digital transformation.

Even for the smart and experienced c-level leaders.

For enterprises, the challenge is about using digital transformation to establish or maintain product leadership. The results till now have been disappointing. Change is always scary but the added concerns of cyber-security, AI, Machine learning, IoT and governance or what new start-ups are bringing has created a new layer of complexity.

How to create the product leadership through digital transformation?

Thumb rule: Digital transformation is not about just going paperless

Even industry leaders from ICICI, HDFC, Yes Bank etc. don’t really seem to know why digital transformation initiatives fail more frequently. Their attempts about the explanation aretrue but are ultimately more focused towards industry inputs and macro-economic factors. The real issue lies in product level challenge and solutions.  Leaders don’t actually get insights from rear-view commentating. Ideologies like economic desirability, company image, and lack in digital capabilities or multi-faceted diffuses of technology are just few of the explanations we receive.

But, this just confirms the obvious!

Transformation happens only when it is connected with People, Process and Technology with agility- ServiceNow

Insights 2019

Throughout connecting with our clients and partners, we have tried to understand what working scenario was. Our goal was to understand what digital transformation initiatives drove product leadership differently. The key insights are as follows:

Product Leadership is not created from bottom-up

While connecting with people at Knowledge19, Gitex, AdobeX and Dreamforce our attention has been towards the blurred lines of digital transformation. The biggest challenge being what is making the successful companies grow and what is the advantage they have received?

The wrong mind-set for the Digital transformation problems

The new paradigm of transformation has brought so many new key parameters that they cannot be adjusted to the old frameworks. The larger picture companies are applying company level transformation strategies to product level problems.

Digital Transformation and who should lead it?

The first question that arises is digital transformation an executive level initiative. While this is true in terms of company and resource allocation, but the actual implementation occurs at a product level.

Once the organization have their product road-map the executive level need to support the company level capabilities and resources with ideas and resources. For enterprises, the CIO needs to drive the digital transformation in two ways:

  1. Alignment in product vision across the organization
  2. Support product vision with resources

Enterprises are very different from start-ups but, currently we are treating them as one because of new paradigms of digital transformation. It is also very important have an original product vision and day-to-day conversation to move ahead. The major problem to this is, after little traction, the insights from the CIO are not used wisely to implement the digital transformation.

Understanding the Learning path

An organization having too many variables cannot reach to optimum level of digital transformation and thus, it is important to evaluate product-level organization and being honest.

It is important for a product vision to be different from a company vision. From this, you can identify which stage your company is at and what steps can be taken for next move.

Everyone is different

It’s impossible for any two organizations to have equal skills and maturity. Product teams and functionalities are spread across the organization. The good part is there is nothing bad in having spread of skills. The job of the CIO is to bring the alignment in this organization and take steps ahead to grow in the digital transformation paradigm.

Reaching Stage 4

Once a company has developed a product vision and a strategy, the teams need to organize their energies better. It’s all about becoming autonomous cross-functional and co-located. This creates an experience team which enables the organization to grow towards their vision. They make the company relevant and focused

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