Observation 1: Digital Transformation overshoots its target
An organisation has started an IT project. In preparation, they have thought about the goals they have, and they have drawn up some requirements. Subsequently the team has gone out to shop for solutions and invited vendors to do a presentation. They show the ideal world and the team is sold on it, they want that perfect solution.
The survey of McKinsey shows organisations are at risk of losing sight of their initial goals when they start executing. Digital transformation becomes the goal and it drifts further away from the business outcomes the organisation was aiming to achieve. The result is that benefits are often not realised.
What can you do:
- Digital transformation is a means, not a goal. Maintain focus on the overall business outcomes and communicate it clearly. Ensure these are tied into items such as efficiency, revenue growth or overall effectiveness, making them measurable for the overall bottom line.
- Evaluate which skills and tools will actually contribute to improving your organisation, stick to those items and keep things simple.
- Continuously evaluate whether these skills and tools are indeed the right one’s to help your organisation become more effective and efficient.
The core of any transformation is the organisational goals and targets, by keeping them at the forefront of your strategy, you can use digital transformation as a means to achieve these goals sooner.