What is the difference between Digital Transformation, Digitalization and Digitization?

You probably heard of a lot about Digital transformation, Digitalization and Digitization. However, what is the actual differnence between these three terms. Let me explain it.

Daniel Undeutsch
3 min readDec 31, 2022

Digital transformation, digitalization, and digitization are all related to the use of digital technologies to improve business operations and processes. However, they refer to different aspects of this process.

Digital Transformation

Digital transformation refers to the use of technology to fundamentally change how an organization operates and delivers value to its customers. It involves the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how the business operates and delivers value to its customers.

Digital transformation can involve a range of activities, such as:

  1. Automating processes using technology
  2. Using data analytics to make better informed business decisions
  3. Leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to gather and analyze data from connected devices
  4. Implementing new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
  5. Adopting cloud computing and other technologies to improve efficiency and collaboration
  6. Providing a seamless, omnichannel customer experience

The goal of digital transformation is to improve efficiency, drive innovation, and create new business models and revenue streams. It can also involve changing the culture and mindset of an organization to be more responsive to change and open to new ways of doing things.

Digitalization

Digitalization is the process of using digital technologies to change an organization’s operations and processes, with the goal of improving efficiency and driving innovation. It involves the adoption and integration of digital technologies into an organization’s operations and processes.

It can be applied to a wide range of industries and sectors, including healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing. It can involve the digitization of documents, records, or products, as well as the automation of processes using technology.

The goal of digitalization is to improve efficiency, accuracy, and speed by replacing manual or paper-based processes with digital ones. It can also enable new business models and revenue streams, such as through the creation of digital products or services.

To successfully implement digitalization, organizations may need to invest in new technologies and infrastructure, as well as develop new skills and processes. It can also require a shift in organizational culture and mindset to embrace change and innovation.

Digitalization is often a key component of digital transformation, as it involves the adoption and integration of digital technologies into an organization’s operations and processes. It is also closely related to digitization, which refers to the specific process of converting information, processes, or products into a digital format.

Digitization

As already written above, digitization is the process of converting information, processes, or products into a digital format. It involves the use of digital technologies to convert analog or physical data into a digital form that can be easily stored, transmitted, and processed electronically.

The goal of digitization is to improve efficiency, accuracy, and speed by replacing manual or paper-based processes with digital ones. As well as digitalization, digitization is a key component of digital transformation.

Difference between Digitization, Digitalization and Digital Transformation
Made by myself.

Summing up it can be said, that digital transformation is a broad term that refers to the use of technology to fundamentally change an organization, while digitalization and digitization are specific processes that involve the adoption and integration of digital technologies into an organization’s operations and processes.

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Daniel Undeutsch

Helping digitalize the state and economy | Writes about Digital Transformation & Productivity