You have probably heard the term "digital transformation" before. It is a somewhat overhyped term to say that a company needs to digitalize. I prefer the term "digital maturity". In this blog, I explain why. Discover how digital maturity puts you on the path to digitalization.
Let’s go virtual!
Digitalization essentially means making physical things virtual. These can be products, processes – even your office, as we saw during the Covid pandemic. Video conferencing and other collaboration tools virtualized the office. The Corona pandemic acted as a catalyst for digitalization. Many companies were already working on their digital strategy, but the pace of execution increased. McKinsey even estimated that digitalization was accelerated by an average of seven years due to Corona.Your first steps in this world are comparable to your first steps in digitalization
Although digital transformation is a widely used term, it is hard to picture. The term transformation implies a one-time transition – like from a caterpillar to a butterfly. In reality, however, it does not work that way. There is no one-time transformation into a future-proof, state-of-the-art fully digital organization. It is more like many small steps. Taking small steps toward greater digital maturity is easier than a big-bang strategy. Transformation is more like a journey than a single event. A journey that continuously adds new chapters as the world around us constantly evolves.
So I prefer the term digital maturity over digital transformation. The steps your organization takes toward greater digital maturity are similar to those of a child growing up.
When you are new to this world, many things happen around you. It is not easy to understand everything that is going on. Interaction is difficult. You can cry when you are hungry, in pain, or tired. Crying is the only tool you have to interact with your environment. An organization that is still in its infancy may have a lot of data, but cannot yet make use of it. Customers, processes, etc. are treated the same way. We try to respond to our environment by using gut feeling and protocols.
You never stop learning and developing
As you grow older, you learn to speak, learn gestures, can move around, and your interaction with your environment improves. You go to school and learn more about life and your surroundings. The digital maturity of an organization develops in the same way. You start using technology for marketing, do more analyses to understand what is happening and why. Once your awareness grows and you become better with digital tools, new opportunities arise and your use of data evolves.
Growing older happens every day. It takes almost no effort. Often we have no clear direction of where we want to go in life. Most teenagers do not know what they want to be when they grow up. It gradually unfolds as they mature. That does not look much like a transformation. It is more of a journey. Over time, it makes an enormous difference. Just look at a photo from 10 years ago, and you will see how much you have changed. A selfie from yesterday is generally no different from a selfie from today.
The same principle applies to organizations. Small steps toward digital maturity are not noticeable at first. Over time, a clear change will occur if the organization keeps evolving. Digital adoption does not happen overnight. It also does not emerge in all parts of the organization at the same time. It is best to find a department where the next level of digitalization seems just a small step away, and expand from there.
A successful digital transformation takes a lifetime. Even when we have become teenagers, our journey does not stop. New technologies emerge and we continue to develop. We must constantly adapt to our environment, learn new digital skills, gain unique insights, drive innovation, and achieve competitive advantage. We can only grow our business if we keep developing.
The term "transformation" feels like an inadequate term to describe the journey of becoming a more digitalized and data-driven company.
Digital maturity may start with management, but ultimately the entire organization will need to achieve operational excellence. The whole organization must therefore adapt.
Strategy is essential, but execution determines the ultimate success of digitalization.
New technology is constantly emerging, leading to new chapters in your digital maturity. A digital maturity model enables you to better understand where your organization stands in terms of digital capabilities and what the next step should be.
BrainStax can perform a digital maturity scan and help you determine your digital strategy. The digital initiative in your organization must be developed into digital disruption. We will identify critical areas where you can create an advantage. We involve all stakeholders in devising a way to seamlessly integrate data into your daily business operations.
A successful digital transformation is not just a matter of hiring a few data scientists. Data and digitalization are a matter of teamwork. Managing digitalization is essential. We see that 80% of models developed by data scientists never reach the production stage. By making better choices upfront, we can reduce that percentage to 30%. Imagine what that would mean for your company!