Digital Transformation Expectations vs. Reality

Staying competitive is more critical than ever in this current market scenario. CIOs and CTOs have acknowledged the significance of digital transformation in business survival and success. Unquestionably, we need digital transformation, but we need a well-managed one, not the temporary one to manage some necessities for short period. Being CIOs means you are the one who make all right decisions to transform your enterprise digitally.

It will be helpful for you to set the real expectations from the digital transformation. We noticed that there are some myths or false expectations floating among the people causing conflicts. Let’s set the right tone for initiating a well-managed Digital transformation process.

Expectation: Digital Transformation is a onetime activity

Reality: It is a continuous process

Integrating digital solutions in any enterprise is a complex process which takes time, sometimes it stretches to years. It takes proper planning, preparation, and implementation to transform an enterprise digitally. If you think, that is the end of the process, you are setting the wrong expectations. Constant evaluation and optimization of the digital solutions is critical to the success of any enterprise.

Isn’t true that technology evolves regularly? In the same way our business needs to evolve and embrace the latest digital solutions, i.e., constant evolution of the digital transformation.

Expectation: Digital transformation is a business solution

Reality: It is a tool to transform the business

Enterprises sometimes put focus on the word “digital” but the real player is “transformation”. Integrating the latest digital technologies is exciting but the transformation is the main goal of the entire process. Digital transformation strategy should be aligned with the business objectives. It is a tool to enable enterprises achieve their goals and objectives. Eventually the latest technologies help enterprises conceptualize the new ways of solving problems.

Expectation: Digital transformation is a technology driven

Reality: It is a people-driven process

Technology plays critical role, but technology not alone cannot help enterprises to implement a successful digital transformation. Great technologies need people and the talent to be implemented properly. Therefore, before investing in the technology, the management needs to first invest in the talent who can further make that technologies useful for the businesses. Therefore, digital transformation is the people-driven process. People with technical expertise and strategic management will ensure the business’s success with the digital transformation process. CIOs need to ensure that team members are accepting the changes in the organization. Digital transformation success or failure depends on the people; either they embrace or resist the change.

“70 % of change programs fail to achieve their goals, in large part due to employee resistance”. – (Forbes)