Is digital transformation the a silver bullet to solve all business problems? It certainly seems to be presented as such in some quarters.
“Digital transformation is 30 per cent technology and 70 per cent people”
I came across this quote Chris Dobbrow, vice president of Augury, and a champion of digital transformation in manufacturing. He has recognised that a key element of his job is talking about digital transformation and how it can improve your business. He recognises that without the human element any transformation project will fail.
This seems counter intuitive, after all isn’t digital transformation automating processes and replacing the human element? But his insight is spot on. For digital transformation to effectively work it must recognise the human element and ensure it’s used correctly.
If you introduce a CRM solution (customer relationship management) as a way of tracking customer interaction it’s success is dependent upon considerable human input on a continual basis. It’s going to provide a wealth of data for the company to refine their proposition and look after their customers. This element must be managed with decisions made based on the data. This is a human task.
If human behaviour is at the heart of digital transformation, then we can treat it the same as any other change programme. Define objectives, work through the strategy, decide your timetable and create measurable milestones. Above all communicate. The challenge is to ensure you integrate the technology with your workforce. You need to understand their concerns, and their views.
Only when we treat digital transformation as we would any other business innovation will we truly appreciate its worth. This does not mean we should ignore its benefits but let’s measure those benefits in the same way as we do other change projects and ensure the human element is not ignored.
If you want a chat about your digital transformation plans and how to implement them, please Graeme.