How to kickstart digital transformation in 2018

To survive in our modern world, businesses are forced to evolve. You rely on digital, but how digital is your business? Digital transformation in 2018 commands everything. How do you start?

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Know what you need

Digital transformation in 2018 means different things to every business. While it could be something as seemingly simple as the introduction of mobility and working in the cloud, transformation could also necessitate a dramatic shift from a paper environment to something more agile and responsive, with a long term goal of securing the data in a flexible environment less prone to disaster. Digital transformation can be developed in so many different ways, making it ideal to take stock of what is wrong with the situation today, and how processes can be better addressed. Consulting with a specialist is one of the best ways to ensure digital transformation efforts aren’t hamstrung from the very beginning, and will help lead you through the next steps to the best success.

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Develop a digital transformation framework

Digital transformation in 2018 encompasses technologies ranging from those that can assist workplace mobility and deliver telecommuting efforts, as well as some more speculative than others, including blockchain and machine-based deep learning. This wide scope means digital transformation is poised to deliver a veritable blue sky of possibilities, which also means it is easy to get lost in jargon, losing the way and breaking DT efforts before they even begin. A solid digital transformation framework can keep organisations on the right track, as specialists work with the needs of the business to leave no role or department out of the focus. Digital transformation frameworks protect all aspects of the business by providing a path for each aspect that can be addressed properly, establishing a firm footing for where transformational efforts may otherwise falter.

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Build transformation into the culture

While digital transformation may feel like a backbone effort handled by the IT department and your CIO, it also affects the very people who staff your company. There will be resistance, and some will argue that the old ways are best, but digital transformation isn't just about the technology, but about those who use the technology. Skilled staff may well be familiar with the old methods, but the new methods are just as important for their jobs, and for their careers later in life. As such, it is crucial for businesses engaging in digital transformation in 2018 to be cognisant of how the employee feels about the upcoming technology changes, and to bake digital transformation and the new skills it brings into the culture. Employees must know that they are being supported, and that digital transformation efforts will not only help the business, but improve how they will work to make the business benefit overall. Transformation entails disruption, and leaders able to foster growth and collaboration from teams while imparting those skills will create a transformational effort that drives digital transformation beyond devices, and through to how workers conceive and collaborate.

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Digital transformation in 2018

Our world is becoming more and more digital, and with each passing day, choices expand and transformational efforts become more and more complicated. But while investment predicates the start of driving digital transformation, it is hardly the end. Digital transformation is more important than it ever has been, and as we start looking into a world where big data, artificial intelligence, and analytics plays the key role into transforming organisations, it is critical for businesses to evolve. Digital transformation in 2018 is just the beginning, and in the coming years, expect it to command what businesses are doing and how they improve not just profits, but everything else.