How to go about a digital transformation

A strategy, thus, summarizes a direction in terms of the organization’s broader purpose and provides a clear path or roadmap for how to achieve it. A well-explained strategy has a coordinating and federating effect on all members of the organization. It serves as a constant north star and feedback mechanism to determine whether the organization is on the right path and making progress towards its goal.

1. Define a clear business intention as a starting point

The first step in planning your transformation is to carefully consider what you as an organization are really after, in other words, your Business Intention. What problem do you want to solve? What legacy do you want to leave behind?
Your Business Intention (sometimes also called "motivation") is a key directional decision that will define on the highest level what you are after. It is important to put it in writing. Often, we find that firms do not explicitly define their intention; this results in initiatives that do not match the original intention and are thus outside of the intended scope! Understanding the intention well is critical also from another perspective: fears motivate us seven times more strongly than hopes.¹ This is why clearly defining a situation we want to avoid is a highly relevant exercise. Beyond this, a Business Intention is more pertinent than a bold vision, since it is precise and directive.
Your intention can take various shapes and will heavily influence your subsequent objectives, so be careful when choosing. If you are having trouble determining an intention, consider some of these options:


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5. How do you start a digital transformation?

At the highest level – on boardroom or executive leadership level – we suggest to start out by answering four key strategic questions which we call the „4 Strategic Perspectives“:

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Considering these four aspects of strategy helps us shift the paradigm of our thinking. Innovations and digitalization initiatives are not limited to one process or part—rather we have to consider a much more holistic picture. If you stick to a more limited definition of digitalization, it may lead to a good deal of superficial change, but ultimately you will find yourself with little true transformation, and therefore a lack of lasting results.

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