Making Digital Transformation strategy practical

This is a short read article based on questions I received during a few conversations. It holds for transformation strategy at a wider level, and specifically for Digital Transformation for sure.

The questions have revolved around how to know if the strategy being created is appropriate. Or how does one know if there in enough value. Or even what is really practical?

To me for a strategy to work, for it to be practical, one deals with a few variables and thus the trade-offs.

success of strategy = f(impact, delivery)

In real life that provides a bunch of choices, as illustrated by the diagram below.

One can choose to have an esoteric vision which might create high impact, but will be difficult to deliver either likely because of lack of capability of just the sheer absurd length of duration it will take.

Simplistically designed strategies often bring along a type of complexity in delivery because of their interwoven nature. On the other extreme are easy to deliver solutions which can be implemented individually. These are usually point solutions, disconnected from each other and eventually low impact, and an integration nightmare.

The final type are the strategies which encompass the enterprise and all types of stakeholders. These ambitious strategies, usually, are long term in terms of their impact and require longer duration transformation effort overall. Of course, these are the most bang for the buck and bring most value. However, these need careful planning, and patient implementation.

That, we hope, provides a sense of what to measure a strategy formulation by.

If you think this is useful, or if you would like to know more, do write to us.