The C-Suite wants a digital transformation, now what?
While it’s not often that you get a clear mandate to buy technology, many leaders are giving their teams a clear mandate to change, improve, optimize, etc. This is clear when you see 70%+ of CEOs that are talking about accelerating their digital transformations. It is against this backdrop that companies need to build their requirements and then evaluate vendors in the space. Additionally, they now must address the ‘New Normal’ we are all experiencing.
Step 1: Gather the requirements
Digital transformation starts with making sure you have the right requirements. There are always standard functionality and technology requirement lists. While this is a good starting point, when companies think about functions, they need to expand the purview and include considerations on experience and design.
Step 2: Understand the user’s needs
Companies are asking more people, across different roles and geographies to utilize these solutions. The core business objectives for digital transformation will never be realized if the adoption does not happen — and happen fast. Therefore, usability is just as important of a consideration as functionality. This includes consistency of experience while allowing for differences by industry or commodity.
Closely related to experience, a good solution should include an expanded set of self-service capabilities. Teams need to be able to modify processes, adjust roles and flows, generate insights tailored to their needs. There is an emerging and persistent trend of citizen developers, data scientists, integrators, etc. It is only becoming more and more common, so it is important that digital transformation initiatives are built to support and encourage it. A self-service approach also extends to customers and suppliers.
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Step 3: Scale strategically
Don’t underestimate the importance of Cloud for modularity, remote installations, integration, cybersecurity, etc. Digital transformation, like the building of Rome, cannot be accomplished in a day. As you lay the framework for your digital transformation, make sure that you’re leveraging solutions that allow you to target areas of high importance first and scale nimbly.
Step 4: Engage with vendors:
There are many other requirements but how can you build your knowledge and refine your requirements? Research shows that less than 30% of an IT buyers’ time is actually spent talking/engaging with vendors. You need to engage the key analysts/influencers including many of the industry and functional experts (Supply chain, procurement, financial, etc.), integrators and change management consultants, information marketplaces like Risk.net, peers in the industry, etc. Don’t be afraid to reach out and contact your communities in places like LinkedIn where you can source ideas and ask questions.
The other key piece is the demo and trial. See it, feel it, experience it. It is as much learning what they did as also triggering new ideas or opportunities that you might not have considered. Take advantage of digital access to trials to include a broader set of constituents.
Gartner shared that organizations could experience better quality deals with their vendors through sense-making conversations vs. giving-telling conversations. Digital transformation is complex. There is a lot of information out there. While you may be making this investment once every five to ten years, the vendors you are talking to work with hundreds of companies every year. Learn from their experience.
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