4 key actions for digital transformation success

ARTICLE | June 27, 2020

Authored by RSM US LLP

Digital transformation presents unique organizational challenges. It requires companies to be dynamic and comfortable with the pace of change and adaptation, in response to internal and external factors, needed to succeed. All of which disrupts traditional work processes, putting pressure and stress on the workforce and impacting productivity.

The digital journey will introduce new collaboration methods along with emerging intelligent automation technologies such as robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI). These can energize innovation within the company; but just as easily bring confusion, inefficiency and disruption into business operations.

In a recent RSM digital transformation survey of middle market executives, there are four key actions that will impact your organization’s digital dexterity, and make your digital transformation strategy successful.

1. Alignment with strategy

Middle market executives who view themselves as leading on their digital transformation journey identify the alignment of the overall business strategy and the digital strategy. The digital strategy focused on three areas: how to leverage new and emerging technologies, how to optimize existing platforms which are still relevant and giving up older solutions that are hindering the business strategy.

2. Establish executive leadership focused on digital transformation

This tone-from-the-top provides a vision of what digital/digitization means to the organization and the strategy. The leadership needs to model digital thinking and behavior. It also means creating clear ownership of digital investments, not just sponsorship.

3. Create a culture of innovation & experimentation

Establish the right organizational culture. Provide a safe environment to fail fast, fail cheap. Review what didn’t work, change what didn’t work and create some new ideas and strategies. Culture drives results in an organization. If you want more innovation, work to change the culture by creating opportunities and encourage creative use and experiments with new technology.

4. Align workforce to digital operating model

Promote use of cross-functional teams who understand full cycle of business challenge. This centers on understanding and aligning on the critical digital skill sets that will differentiate your company in the marketplace. It creates an environment where people and robots (automation) can work successfully together.

Replacing old technologies and processes with digital solutions takes care, planning, purpose and dedication. But with the right technology, processes, operating model and leadership, you can build and implement a strategy for successful digital transformation in your business.