What should you keep in mind when choosing a digital transformation framework?

A digital transformation framework should be uniquely tailored to your specific business goals, whether that's boosting revenue, enhancing customer satisfaction, reducing costs, or improving productivity. It should take into account your industry, market dynamics, and competitive landscape, adjacent disruptions to your core business. Leveraging digital technologies not just for adoption but for gaining a strategic edge. The framework must align with your overall business strategy, with clear KPIs and defined value creations that drive towards these goals, while fostering a culture of continuous innovation, taking necessary risks and adaptation to the evolving technological landscape.

You must assess the implementor in your digital transformation as the requirement process completion is not the core business process. Hence a project management approach combining both internal and external resources can provide higher probability of success. Proper reengineering to establish best practice to reduce customization and reconfiguration will also provide higher chance of success. Training users with computer literacy and pre-assessments for specific modules will contribute to better results from digitalization

Digital transformation should always be mapped based on customer empathy mapping. No transformation efforts can be successful without catering to the needs of the end customer. Using design thinking methodology as a framework for empathy mapping to define and frame your problem statement is extremely important. Once you define the problem statement, its important to ideate. This can be done using primary and secondary research. Mapping out the market, understanding the customer, their needs and their challenges that will help you decide how you can improve their CX. After that, you prototype and test, before starting the loop again. This is an iterative process and will require constant iterations and improvements.

Goals form the key! WHY digital transformation directionally has to be clear; everything to the last level will not be clear right at the start. Key milestones to be made clear for the short term. Business objectives have to be linked to the transformation…

I agree with what has been said here- but also: There's no "one size fits all" solution. Tailor your selection to your specific context and needs. Find a provider that matches you in cadence and goals. don't be afraid of a boutique vendor that is aligned with your goals. Be flexible and adaptable. Be prepared to adjust your approach as you learn and progress. Focus on outcomes. Ultimately, the best framework is the one that helps you achieve your desired results. Choose a digital transformation framework that is flexible and sets you up for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Assessing capabilities is essential in digital transformation. It's more than a checklist; it's about aligning people, processes, systems, data, and culture with digital objectives. For instance, strong data analysis with outdated systems requires focusing on system upgrades. If your team excels in traditional methods but lacks digital skills, prioritizing training and hiring for digital expertise is key. Aligning this transformation with your company's strategic goals ensures it's not just a technical update, but a strategic advancement, directly contributing to broader business objectives.

Lo primero, es que la transformación acompa?a la estrategia. No es la estrategia. La transformación ayuda a responder que tipo de empresa soy y que tipo de empresa quiero ser. Cuál es el modelo de negocio de la organización en donde jugar y como ganarlo. La transformación se acompa?a de capacidades como la analítica, la tecnología, los procesos, la innovación, entre otros y se nutre constantemente del mercado y sus cambios para que las organizaciones estén vigentes y escalen de manera rentable

I would add that next to assessing your capabilities you need to really assess how much and how fast the organisation and clients can absorb the transformation - ie. readiness. Eg. you can stop sending cheques but if your clients can't deal with digital means you are defranchising these clients. implying you might need different speeds in your transformation for different target groups (internal and external).

When designing a digital transformation strategy, it is imperative to conduct a thorough assessment of the organization's future readiness. This assessment should encompass the technological infrastructure, the capabilities of the workforce, and the efficiency of existing processes and workflows. By evaluating these three key areas, organizations can identify any gaps or shortcomings that may hinder the successful implementation of the digital transformation strategy. This assessment allows for a comprehensive understanding of the organization at all levels and helps in developing a strategy that is aligned with future goals and objectives.

Evaluate existing people, processes, systems, data, and culture. Conduct a gap analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses. Prioritize areas for improvement or transformation. Outline necessary skills, competencies, and mindsets. Identify tools, platforms, and solutions for implementation. Develop a roadmap for acquiring needed capabilities.

First, understand your organization's unique needs and goals. A suitable model aligns with your business objectives and adapts to its specific challenges. For instance, if enhancing customer experience is a priority, frameworks like Customer Experience Transformation or Design Thinking may be apt. Second, evaluate scalability and flexibility. A good framework accommodates future growth and technological advancements. Look for adaptability to changes and ease of integration with existing systems. The Agile framework, for instance, is known for its flexibility, allowing organizations to respond quickly to market changes.

Definitely check out smartinsights.com for frameworks and methodologies. I reference Smart Insights both in my university lectures and for practical work. In particular for digital transformation frameworks. This will certainly get you going in this area

Part of choosing the right model also involves the right size of the engagement based on organizational readiness. Often large enterprises aim to have a large scale consulting engagement involving various stakeholder groups only to have a 100+ page output that either doesn't get implemented or goes through rounds of sell through and buy-in, resulting in a watered down or large scale, heavy and slow implementation. This may work well for some organizations, while there may also be alternative models to workshop, collaborate, iterate, implement, integrate while delivering rapid value release cycles and getting progressive buy-in. The key is to be prepared to make trade-offs in exchange for speed, value creation and gaining adoption.

Selecting a digital transformation framework that can accommodate changes in the dynamic digital landscape is an important factor to consider. It involves ensuring flexibility and agility. The chosen framework should be adaptable to emerging technologies, industry trends, and evolving customer demands. Regular assessments and updates to the framework are essential to stay relevant in the fast-paced digital environment, enabling your organization to embrace new opportunities and overcome challenges effectively.

There are many digital frameworks out there and, honestly, it does not matter much which one you chose in the beginning. Because they all provide structure and that's the biggest issue when starting your journey. It's much more important in my opinion to be clear about expectations: Using a framework is not a guarantee for success. It helps to structure the first steps, but as you are using it, you need to understand its essence more deeply time after time. Then you'll find yourself adapting it to your needs pretty soon - which is ok. You need to master the rules first, before you break them.

In my experience the involvment of stakeholders will start from the manangement teams. First and foremost the management team should be on the same page and should start looking at the new transformation as the most important strategic direction. When this is happening teams will follow, people will see that this ia for real, is happening and it will become easier to get involved in the transformation the right people from each department and each area needed to support the transformation. It’s all starting from the way management will set the expectations and follow along in the execution of this strategy.

Für eine erfolgreiche digitale Transformation ist es entscheidend, alle relevanten Stakeholder einzubeziehen. Dies umfasst interne Teams wie Mitarbeiter, sowie externe Parteien wie Kunden, Partner und Lieferanten. Ihre aktive Beteiligung in der Entwicklung, Umsetzung und Bewertung digitaler Initiativen sorgt für wertvolles Feedback und st?rkt die Unterstützung. Zudem ist es wichtig, Vision, Strategie und Wertversprechen klar und konsistent zu kommunizieren, um eine Kultur des Vertrauens, der Transparenz und der Eigenverantwortung zu f?rdern.

In my experience, building a good digital transformation framework requires active involvement and participation of stakeholders from across different teams such as the business units, IT & infra, legal and compliance, and marketing. We need allies in these teams who will be advocates to our ideas and help navigate through team dynamics. We also need to stay transparent and honest with stakeholders when building the framework and set realistic expectations, be transparent about potential roadblocks/ unexpected hurdles.

One day in the life of a digital transformation program... Any day should be driven by communication, communication and communication. Digital transformation is a major business transformation and all stakeholders are needed and will need to be taken along. The way is communication and that includes positive communication. We forget to celebrate the small victories but if we create a culture where milestone achievements are being celebrated, people see positive shout outs and regular updates, you take all kind of stakeholders along. Too often we only discuss delays, risks and things that went not so well. I encourage you to do that and enrich it by positive messaging. Make this an intiative of the whole org not somthing that is done to them

Creating stakeholder engagement is absolutely critical The most powerful tool in this area is clear communication and a top tip here is think about how you tell the story. Story telling allows you to paint a rich picture and also enable stakeholders to understand the transformation journey you are driving. Storytelling also allows you to create an emotional connection for your stakeholders; back to customers, colleagues and partners. This can be very powerful for stakeholders as they can start to really understand the impact of the transformation and the outcomes you’re seeking to deliver.

"Are we winning yet?" was a frequent query from a C-level stakeholder in one of my digital transformation projects. This underscores the importance of effective monitoring and measurement in such initiatives. It's crucial to keep stakeholders regularly and proactively updated. Utilizing a visually appealing, easily understandable dashboard that aligns with pre-established KPIs can significantly enhance stakeholder experience. This approach not only builds trust but also fosters a constructive and progressive environment. Regularly sharing insights and analytics on digital impact and outcomes ensures stakeholders are not just informed but are active participants in the journey of transformation. And to answer the question – yes, we won! ??

Lanzar, medir, analizar, mejorar... y volver a empezar. En un entorno cambiante, la monitorización nos permite adaptar nuestra estrategia y las acciones derivadas a las necesidades reales de nuestro público objetivo.

Designing customized Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) for a digital strategy is of vital importance in today's business landscape. These metrics not only measure and monitor the success of digital initiatives but also ensure that they are integrated and harmonized with other enterprise priorities. Customized KPIs and OKRs allow organizations to align their digital strategy with broader goals such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts. By incorporating these priorities into the measurement framework, organizations can track their progress towards creating a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Ein effektives digitales Transformations-Framework ben?tigt ein überwachungs- und Messsystem, um Fortschritte und Leistung zu tracken. Nutzen Sie Dashboards oder Scorecards für wichtige Metriken und passen Sie Ihr Framework regelm??ig anhand der Ergebnisse und Rückmeldungen an.

Establish leading & lagging indicators and track them. Your dashboard shouldn't be filled with vacuous vanity metrics but actionable metrics that show the progress towards the transformation you've set for yourself. Every metric should have common definition that everyone understands. The frequency of monitoring also should be established. Then everyone can monitor, understand, and adjust their unit of work.

Its going to take you longer than you think so don't over promise. Digital transformation is often changing the business, the peoples behaviours, the processes and the technology. Your plans need to cover all of those things. If you can get people on board early to help be the change agents the rest of it is going to go smoother. Find your champions in the business early.

Digital transformation is not about mindless digitalization. Remember: digitalization helps amplify and accelerate things - both good and bad. If you digitalize something that is inefficient, you will just be amplifying the inefficiencies in your org and making things worse. Sequencing of initiatives matter: 1. Start with digitalizing new products and processes where you don't have to deal with legacy. Do a good job and use this as an example to demonstrate the benefits of digitalization to the rest of the organization. 2. Then move digitizing functions and processes that are already working well 2. Finally, use digital transformation as an opportunity to fix processes that are not working well, before you digitize them

It's gonna take longer than you expect. Don't promise the moon. Digital transformation shakes things up—business vibes, how people roll, the whole shebang. Your game plan needs to tackle all that jazz. Get the early birds excited to be your change buddies, and the whole ride will be way less bumpy. Spot your go-to folks in the business from the get-go.

I agree with all the points above. One thing I like to add is that successful strategy has to be business lead and technology enabled not the other way round. Once business pain has been identified digital strategy need to have an implementation plan with simple first. For example, one should start by leaning some of the existing processes. Then develop strategy that provides some data insights and add complexity until you reach advanced AI for decision make. At this stage, one has to be careful of the flaw of averages and ensure all data are examined.

Among all the above aspects, below are some key factors affecting the long term and ongoing transformation journey an organization need to beware of in terms of sustaining the success: - building out an open-minded, safe yet organized environment to keep track of the facts that are happening from bottom up or upper down. imagine if some bad habits / cultures are staying inside the team, and no one is willing to tell the truth, it is the most dangerous situation even it could bring you a quick win - innovation / creativity is indeed involving a team collaboration and brainstorming, somehow it might not be direct like passing the direction down. Bet it or not, it makes a big difference especially under the super dynamic digital environment