Digital Transformation today - challenges and obstacles
Digital Transformation challenges and obstacles is the topic of our final instalment of our introduction to Digitisation. Links to parts one, two and three are available below. These cover what it means, what benefits are brought by digitisation and the four basic elements.
In this article we look at digital transformation challenges and obstacles and how to go about making technology decisions. Our Digital Transformation blogs will continue with more topics covering all aspects of digitisation and its impact on your business.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
So far, we have looked at what Digital Transformation is, and how it helps your business. We broke down the concept into four principal areas of Data, Technology, Process and Culture, detailing the skills needed in each area for successful implementation. Our last blog looked at how to get to launch, solving common problems before they arise. Today, we are looking at the challenges that occur on the way and how to overcome them.
Common Digital Transformation challenges and obstacles
Let’s look at a few behavioural challenges and how to counteract them to help increase the likelihood of a successful transformation.
Adoption resistance vs upskilling and supporting your end users
Based in the culture section of digital transformation, we see resistance to change quite common, especially with new working practices required by new solutions. Any new implementation will be more successful with relevant and engaging on-boarding, training and support for your users. Employees are empowered to use the systems the way they were intended if they are included from the start. Reinforcing their role in the process and reassuring they are still essential to the success of the business.
An onboarding process may include;
- Product/process tours – including pop-up windows and roll overs to highlight different areas of a solution, and task lists on a user’s screen to reinforce the process.
- Interactive tutorials and user flows – supporting end-users with step-by-step guides of how to use different features.
- Knowledge bases – a searchable repository of frequently asked questions and guides connecting the end-user with the knowledge they need to complete the process as it was intended.
- Hands-on access – allowing users to use the real solution in either a live or sand-boxed environment and interact with it as they would do in a real-world environment with data they recognise.
The best onboarding includes the ability to feedback on the process and user-experience along with the support content, training and any in-person training and support throughout the project in an agile way. Systems analytics that can feed back interaction and what flows are being used are invaluable. These highlight which areas need more formal training and where processes and functionality may need further explanation. In addition we look to gain an understanding of the solution adoption across your company, and more.
Siloed use vs enterprise-wide adoption
Digital Transformation is intended to be an business-wide solution. As a result bringing benefits across all departments and enabling analytics across the entire business. A key element of the desired change is bringing key data together to power business intelligence. Without wholesale buy in this will always be a potential point of failure.
Look to bring together a Change Leadership team from across the business. Find those departmental champions, those that are influential, innovative and trustworthy. These key users will become a cross-functional team to create and support a vision for your digital transformation that aligns with business goals and is led by those who are connected to the essential processes of your company.
Your team will be instrumental in taking a proactive approach to bringing together the technology, process and culture aspects of your transformation and allowing the data aspect the support it needs to flourish.
Lack of internal skills vs trusting experts with experience
Hiring a digital transformation consultant like Goldstar, will provide you with the reassurance of experience and expertise.
We will work with you to understand your goals and processes and provide a framework for your transformation. We set the foundation for your implementation, along with the footings for your technology, process and culture changes required for your data to drive your transformation.
Change for changes sake vs business goal alignment with transformation strategy
Why are you digitally transforming your business? This should be the mission statement of everything you are working towards, the goals, processes and objectives. Focused on your customer’s needs, your pain points and any issues with your offerings, products and services.
You will have analysed your current processes to find outdated systems that need improvements. This would be the foundation and align with your core business goals. It should be focused on improving employees’ tasks and making customer experience better. When employing more intuitive systems that solve problems you can drive more improvements. As a result you can bring analytics and business intelligence to your business.
Being niche and valued vs being agile and valuable
Leaders realise the need to be able to adapt and compete in a global, digital world, where innovation and change must happen. Technology is changing rapidly and continues to scale faster than many can keep up with. An aspect of this, and being an agile business, is having your real-time data and analytics at your fingertips to empower your choices. If you are even considering Digital Transformation, you are thinking agile, if you are undertaking transformation, chances are you will (or will soon) be agile – so lean into this. Don’t be put off by new processes, culture or technology. Equally, be open to changing business practices to get the most from your transformation.
Avoiding common mistakes when making technology decisions
There are a few things to remember that will help navigate you to a successful delivery. By avoiding these common mistakes, you will be ready to launch in no time.
- Relying on obsolete technology
- Investing in untested solutions
- Ignoring IT as being part of the business
- It’s a journey not a one-off purchase
If any of this sounds familiar, keep an eye out for our deep dive on avoiding disruption during Digital Transformation. Contact us to learn how to prepare for success and avoid these common mistakes when you launch your business to the next level. McKinsey Digital are one of the world’s leading digital authorities and are uniquely positioned to see the impact of digital disruption on big business. For an insight to this much bigger picture read their positioning article below.
McKinsey Quarterly, 2018
Digital Transformation – Frequently Asked Questions
This series of articles have taken you through all the basics of Digital Transformation, we will continue to focus on different elements of Digital Transformation but in the meantime, we know you will have lots of questions in relation to your own business’ journey. Goldstar are happy to talk with you and give you insight into your own circumstances, click on this link to book your own consultation or click through to our common FAQs for more answers to the questions you may have.
Are you ready for your Digital Transformation?
Businesses around the world, and across every sector, are embracing their Digital Transformation, transitioning their technology, data, process, and culture to modern platforms. They are welcoming greater stability, resilience, security, agility, operational efficiencies, increased revenue streams and opportunities for innovation and greater profit. For many, Goldstar have been the trusted partner to navigate the challenging transition.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Is your business ready for its Digital Transformation? Do you have Digital Transformation challenges? To understand the best way forward for you, or to book your Discovery Workshop, contact Goldstar today.