Digital Transformation — more than just technology

It is a common belief that the technology itself is at the heart of every digital transformation but this is not the full picture. Technology is an enabler alongside the people and the business opportunity being faced. The technologies of artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, and machine learning are increasingly in everyday use but they have to be used carefully. To be successful, each of these technologies needs to be deployed to solve a particular problem or exploit a particular opportunity.

The possibilities of technology are endless, but we should not forget that technology is first and foremost designed for the people that are using it and for a specific need.

My own work transforming businesses includes:

· The introduction of robotics to drive efficiencies in banking

· App creation for the financial sector to drive greater customer satisfaction and self-service

· Moving to a subscription-based SaaS approach to drive longer term growth and multiyear revenues

In all of these projects the technology was picked once we had taken time to understand what the need was. The drivers often vary — efficiency in the case of robotics, market share in the case of SaaS expansion, and a revenue model with SaaS. In each of these, technology played its role, but the technology had to be the right tool for the job.

Being clear on what you are trying to achieve helps to ensure get the right solution. You don’t need a detailed understanding of technology, but you do need a detailed understanding of the problem or opportunity. Connect people from different disciplines across the organisation to explore what levers can be pulled to achieve your goals. Include HR, strategy, transformation and IT in the dialogue but always with a clear aim in sight.

At Six Trends we have senior people from all core disciplines to ensure people, processes and technology work together to sustain your digital transformation.