Digital transformation is one of the most talked-about and least understood phrases in business today. Many people think that it’s all about technology – and while technology is a critical part of the equation, it’s really only a small piece of the puzzle. The true essence of digital transformation is a complete overhaul of your company’s processes, paradigms, and procedures. It’s a disruptive journey, one that can be extremely challenging for organizations that aren’t prepared for it. So how do you know if your company is ready? A digital transformation readiness assessment is an essential first step in defining your digital transformation strategy.
Digital Transformation Strategy: Assessing Resilience
The first step is to assess your company’s resilience. Digital transformation is a major undertaking, and it can be risky – there are no guarantees of success. So you need to make sure that your organization has the ability to weather any storm that comes its way. How do your employees handle change management and IT adoption? Can they think on their feet and adapt flexibly to changing processes and policies? Can they quickly provide constructive feedback when something isn’t working as expected? The ability to quickly learn and innovate will be essential in the coming years.
Another part of this resilience assessment phase of digital transformation strategy is taking a close look at your tech stack and IT infrastructure.
- Where are the weak spots which will need close monitoring, or possibly remediation, before you begin?
- Are there redundancies in place that could be streamlined to reduce complexity and simplify your IT footprint?
- Are you dependent on legacy software that has poor support and doesn’t integrate smoothly with more recent acquisitions?
- What does the technology training curve look like for new hires? How difficult is it for new team members to onboard successfully?
This part of the digital transformation readiness assessment not only ensures you have a resilient technology stack to support your digital transformation journey. It also helps identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This will matter later, when you’re defining goals for the initiative and determining how you’ll measure success.
Digital Transformation Strategy: Goal Setting
This brings us to the second step: making sure that you have a clear vision for what you want to achieve with your digital transformation strategy.
- What are your business goals?
- Which pain points do you need to address?
- What opportunities do you want to take advantage of?
Without a clear goal, it can be easy to change things for the sake of change. It can be tempting to implement and integrate new technology platforms simply because competitors are using them successfully. But context is key, and yours may be different from even your closest competitor. FOMO, or fear of missing out, is not a good reason to undertake a complete digital overhaul of your business. That’s why goal-setting is a vital part of your digital transformation readiness assessment. If you don’t know your destination, you can’t create an effective path to get there.
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But if you can answer these questions, and your company is ready to embrace change, then it’s time for the next step:
Digital Transformation Strategy: Defining Roles
The third step in your digital transformation readiness assessment is to make sure that you have the right team in place to execute your vision. This means having the right skill sets within your organization, as well as the ability to partner with other vendors and consultants who have the subject matter expertise and depth of knowledge to support you through the growing pains. Don’t underestimate the value of an objective external perspective – especially one who has already shepherded similar organizations through the same process.
A digital transformation strategy also requires top-to-bottom buy-in, from key stakeholders in the C-Suite down to essential front-line staff. It’s not enough to have the right people, with the right skills. They also need to share your vision and commitment to the challenging process of digital transformation. They need to believe the end result will be worth the work.
And finally, be realistic about the time and money it will take to make this transformation. It’s not a quick or easy process, but if you’re patient and willing to put in the hard work, you can reap the rewards for years to come.
If your company is ready for digital transformation, then congratulations! You’re ready to start mapping your journey.
If on the other hand, you’re feeling a little lost or unsure of where to start with your digital transformation strategy, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many organizations feel the same way. That’s where Windward comes in. We have decades of experience in IT implementation and we can help you get started on the right path to find flow for your organization.
Contact us today and let us show you how we can help make your digital transformation a success.
