Digital TransVARmation: The fine line between success and failure

The introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in football has been a hotly debated topic in recent years. North of the border there was a ludicrous handball decision in the Celtic v Morton match this weekend which is the latest in a string of ‘interesting’ decisions which has seen VAR come under scrutiny.?

Let's be clear, this isn't a claim that one team is being treated unfairly over another. I'll leave that to other people on Twitter!

VAR genuinely has the potential to revolutionise football by reducing human error and increasing fairness and consistency in decision-making. On the other hand, the implementation of VAR has been plagued with issues, leading many to question its effectiveness and value.

One of the key criticisms of VAR is that it has failed to live up to its promise of reducing human error. Despite the use of advanced technology, pundits and fans alike could reel off a load of incorrect or controversial decisions in recent weeks.?

All well and good but what’s my point. Well, these kinds of issues are not unique to VAR, and are commonly seen in digital transformation projects. Although I can’t think of too many contentious handball decisions in the boardroom I’ll continue with this shaky analogy!?

Like VAR, digital transformation projects are often implemented with the goal of improving efficiency, reducing errors, and increasing competitiveness. We all know that the introduction of new technology does not guarantee success and many organisations struggle to fully realise the benefits of their digital transformation efforts.

One of the main reasons for the failure of digital transformation projects is the lack of proper integration and implementation. There are many tales of companies who bought the keys to the Ferrari and don’t know how to drive it. These sorts of failures usually see them focus solely on the technology itself, and neglect the importance of good people and processes.?

Whether with VAR or a CRM system, the technology is only as good as the people who use it.

Training, processes, communication and the understanding of the technology are all equally important to ensure success. VAR will only be successful if the people behind it are well trained, understand the technology and communicate effectively with each other and with the game's stakeholders.

The failure of VAR and digital transformation projects are not a failure of the technology itself, but a failure of proper integration and implementation. It's important to remember that technology is only a tool, it's up to the people behind it to make it work.

If you’ve made it this far, you might be interested to know I have some availability currently. If you're facing any challenges in your digital transformation projects, I'd be happy to share my experience and offer guidance. Or we can talk about football!?