“Digital Transformation is more than software delivery and it is not just business process re-engineering. It involves adoption of digital technologies to align processes, culture to meet changing business and market requirement with an outcome of improved customer experience” – Segun Akande, CEO Xown Solutions Ltd.
WHAT THEN IS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?
Digital transformation is the PATH OF STRATEGIC, PLANNED, ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, kicked off by ENABLING AND SUPPORTING TEAMS with new design to create a highly responsible and data driven strategy, and incorporate a NEW CULTURE OF INNOVATION. With the correct MINDSET AND LEADERSHIP, one can expect to create the HIGHEST PERFORMING, INNOVATIVE ORGANIZATION.
In summary, Digital Transformation is the combination of DIGITAL STRATEGY, DIGITAL CULTURE AND THE TECHNOLOGY put together to drive positive change in an organization.
There can be no true Digital Transformation without Digital Culture as Digital Transformation Efforts Stall Without Cultural Change. In this light, it is important we truly understand what Digital Culture entails.
Digital Culture therefore is the permanent adoption of digital technologies to enhance problem solving methodologies and processes. It is employing digital technology tools to solve a problem that will give enduring and lasting solution.
Digital Culture is the appreciation, the exploration and the shared enjoyment of the various digital tools, environments and products which inform and facilitate our work.
To look at the benefit of Digital Culture as enumerated by one of the reports put together by Microsoft, organizations with a strong digital culture have:
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5x more employees who feel empowered
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4x more employees who feel engaged
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3x more employees who feel innovative
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2x more employees who feel productive
WHY IS A DIGITAL CULTURE IMPORTANT?
Digital Culture is important for the following reasons:
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No digital transformation is complete without cultivating a thriving digital culture
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A strong digital culture is an organization’s competitive edge
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A strong digital culture is key to business longevity
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Embracing digital culture can improve employee engagement
As earlier mentioned, Culture, Strategy and Technology are 3 major factors that is required for effective Digital Transformation in an organization or business. Digital Culture has been explained above, but the two other concepts are explained below:
Technology. The technology talked about here are the digital tools that are used in driving this transformation. They are the software and hardware IT solutions implemented during digital transformation. It could be in form of a new software or digital process that aids in carrying out business activities or even just day to day organizational duties.
Strategy. The strategy provides direction. It answers the question of what do you aim to achieve with this digital transformation and how do you aim to achieve it. It gives a sense of purpose to the culture and technology because it states what the end result you are trying to achieve is. This end result could be increased efficiency and productivity, competitive edge, standard regulation, financial leakage curbing and so on.
These 3 factors have to be present for digital transformation in an organization to be truly effective. The information has been summarized in the chart below.
Other concepts to remember when talking about Digital Transformation are:
Digitization, which is the conversion of products/services to digital format, and Digitalization, which is the adoption of technology for various business models and principles.
Many organizations focus on these two (digitization and digitalization) and neglect the third (building a strong digital culture) and often times it leads to wasted resources, time and frustration on the part of the workers and even upper level staff.
Digital culture drives Digital Transformation and should be encouraged and cultivated by organizations and businesses no matter their field or industry.
