You can’t put a saddle on a pig and call it a horse.
Many organizations still treat digital transformation as a project with a defined start and end date. They allocate budget and resources, bring in consultants, overhaul systems and processes, and then move on to business as usual. However, this view is misguided and prone to failure. Digital transformation is an ongoing journey that organizations must continuously invest in and adapt to.
The reality is that digital technologies, consumer behaviors, and competitive landscapes are evolving at a rapid pace. What is cutting-edge today will be outdated in a few years, or even months. An organizational culture, mindset, and processes optimized for an industrial era cannot be overhauled once and then stay relevant in our era of constant digital disruption.
Treating digital transformation as a continuous process rather than a finite project is crucial for several reasons:
- Emerging Technologies
New digital technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, Internet of Things, augmented/virtual reality and more are emerging and evolving rapidly. Organizations must continuously explore how to leverage these technologies to create new value and efficiencies. - Shifting Customer Expectations
As customers adopt new technologies and digital behaviors, their expectations around convenience, personalization, on-demand services, and overall experiences are shifting. Organizations need the agility to sense and adapt to these changing expectations on an ongoing basis. - Competitive Threats
Digital disruptors emerging from industry adjacencies and entirely new sectors are a constant threat. Complacency after an initial transformation leaves organizations vulnerable to being disrupted themselves by more digitally adept competitors. - Organizational Culture
True digital transformation requires comprehensive organizational change – restructuring teams, breaking down silos, incentivizing continual innovation, embracing data-driven decision making. This transformation of culture and mindsets must be continuously reinforced, not treated as a one-off effort.
Rather than thinking of digital transformation as a project to be completed, smart organizations view it as a ongoing journey of innovation, adaptation, and continual process optimization. They don’t just overhaul technology systems once, but establish long-term technology roadmaps, innovation processes, and dedicated digital transformation teams and budgets.
In today’s ever-evolving digital era, those that treat transformation as a continuous mindset and capability – not a project with a start and stop date – will be the ones who can respond adeptly to emerging trends, disruption, and opportunities. It’s not about “being transformed” but embodying an organizational culture of perpetual transformation.
