Digital Transformation: No Way Home

Well, we are at the tipping point that Digital Transformation (DX) is no more a business target for all companies it is a necessity of the current environment. For All Others & Project Management, Simply ‘doing’ project management is no longer sufficient: what we require for a digital transformation adaptation. In a 2021 survey, 55% of European companies stated the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for digitalization, and 46% of companies reported that they have grown more digital. (European Investment Bank Investment Report 2021/2022).

Understanding the Basics: In Sum, Digital Transformation is the strategic adoption of digital technologies.

More Efficient & Intercultural Communication

Old Fashioned emails are not interactive and fulfill the simultaneous dialogue. With the advent of virtual teams, there would be increased velocity and frequency of exchange of information. Collaborative Software and Tools would be getting more important. There are numerous tools that are skyrocketing in the market MIRO, MURAL, Conceptboard, etc. On the other hand, project teams and companies getting realized the fact that converting home offices’ disadvantages into a big plus with these technologies and their effectiveness.

In meantime, a quick reminder: just putting SAP or Oracle in your system does not make it more digital or efficient. This is like naming fancy agile words with your waterfall project process management.

Result not Process

DX aims for better and more efficient processes. In addition to this, every department should be affected by DX in a vertical and horizontal, from top to entry-level. That’s why there would be non-traditional methods for project management phases — e.g. autonomous scheduling with risk management-.

Fact that the results would be much more important than the process, every industry would create its own digital transformation. When they are implementing DXs, PMs will step in. In addition to their responsibilities & roles, there would be expectation trendsetters (!) and mentality spreaders. Project Managers should align business strategies and customer-centricity. They have to understand the importance of implementing digitization projects designing new digital busıness models.

There is no room for any more than we have always done it that way. Even Pandemic situations push companies for this transformation and Project Management has a big role! We are not in VUCA* World, We are not even BANI** world anymore… In the age of chaos, one thing is certain, No way back to the old home!

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_transformation

European Investment Bank Investment Report 2021/2022

VUCA* (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity)

BANI** (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible)