The Do's and Don’ts of Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is not a one-size-fits-all plan. It’s a complex system of thought that effectively integrates digital technologies to better your business functions. Business transformation, which includes digital transformation, requires thorough planning, company-wide buy-in, and collaboration among team members to implement changes successfully. As industries continue to apply digital solutions to common enterprise practices, digital transformation is fundamentally changing how we accomplish work. Understanding the dos and don'ts of digital transformation can provide practical guidance on successfully navigating this complex process.

On the frontline, the need for digital transformation is even more apparent.

Traditionally, the frontline has been lacking in its variety of available digital solutions, especially when you compare these workers to their office counterparts. While there’s no one cause for this disparity, it’s becoming more obvious that digital transformation must include the frontline workforce.

There’s no ‘right way’ to accomplish digital transformation as long as it helps you accomplish your enterprise goals. However, here are our top tips to consider as you modernize your enterprise.

Do: Align Digital Transformation Goals with Your Business Strategy

Relating your digital transformation to what your workers are doing and to your overall business strategy often leads to more success through implementation and deployment. Digital transformation impacts the entire organization, requiring careful planning and change management to ensure higher adoption rates and overall success. Securing buy-in from all levels of the organization is crucial to ensure that new technologies and processes are embraced organization-wide. Without a clear understanding of how digital transformation will better your enterprise, you run the risk of the two plans competing against each other rather than working together.

A good digital transformation journey will impact many different aspects of your enterprise.

From an outside perspective, digital transformation can seem random. By leadership reiterating how it’s strategically advantageous to your business and that the project aligns with your overall business strategy, workers and stakeholders will remain engaged and focused on the key impact it will have once completed. Aligning digital transformation initiatives with business objectives is essential for fostering a culture of innovation and ensuring successful outcomes.

Don’t: Pursue Modernization Carelessly

There’s a thin line between strategically planning and selecting a digital transformation objective to pursue and needlessly throwing money into the latest trend. Providing training and support for teams when adopting new technology is essential to alleviate fears and ensure smooth transitions. Effective change management is crucial in digital transformation initiatives as it prepares employees for upcoming changes, promotes buy-in and ownership, and minimizes disruption during project implementation, thereby ensuring higher adoption rates and ultimately leading to the success of the initiatives. Most digital transformation projects begin with the greatest intentions but quickly divulge into a never-ending journey with no clear objective.

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

The best digital transformation projects are targeted, focused, and lean in on data. The purpose and goals are clearly outlined from the beginning as they align with your overall business goals. Digital transformation projects are notorious for going off schedule and over budget. By consistently referring to your business strategy and being selective in what you choose to pursue, you should see greater success in all your future digital transformation projects.

Do: Prioritize Data Security

During the transition to a modern digital solution, enterprises can be vulnerable to cyberattacks if precautions aren’t taken, making data security a critical concern. While security threats shouldn’t deter any organization from pursuing digital transformation, they should maintain their cybersecurity efforts while the enterprise shifts.

Many enterprises have chosen to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts using digital transformation.

Worker communication has traditionally left enterprises open to threats, for example, phishing email scams, open networks, and insecure connections. These potential threats have led many industry leaders to prioritize implementing a secure digital communication platform via their digital transformation efforts.

Don’t: Get Frustrated

Digital transformation projects rely on collaboration amongst teams, compromise with major stakeholders and, most importantly, patience. Adopting specific guidelines and best practices can ensure success in these initiatives. Assembling a dedicated project team, including a project champion, is crucial for advocating business initiatives and ensuring effective execution. Slow progress can be discouraging, but these projects are complex and are fundamentally changing how your enterprise operates and performs.

Clear communication between frontline workers, middle managers and those leading your digital transformation efforts will be key to your project’s success.

Through the walt™ smart radio, every worker can communicate updates and collaborate with others nearby to solve issues, regardless of where they are within the enterprise. weavix™ also has its full data acquisition and application component for leaders to supervise with full transparency.

Using digital solutions like these can make digital transformation an easier endeavor and keep those involved from getting frustrated throughout the process.

Do: Focus on the Long-Term Successes of Digital Transformation

In the short term, digital transformation projects are typically perceived negatively: they are often expensive, take a long time to implement, are complicated, and require an intense audit of what exists and how it can be better. Digital transformation is a constantly evolving process that requires time and careful planning. Leveraging technology is crucial for companies to adapt and thrive in rapidly changing business environments. For some, this would be enough to keep them from starting a digital transformation project, but the primary focus for any digital transformation endeavor should remain on its long-term benefits and successes. Continuous improvement is essential to ensure that digital transformation initiatives stay competitive and meet customer needs.

There are a variety of reasons to pursue digital transformation, and the most profound are due to their long-term possibilities and achievements.

A successful digital transformation project should be defined and measured by what you set out to accomplish with it from the beginning. Adopting new technologies and digitalizing key business processes and responsibilities now, especially on the frontline, can have a compounding effect on your enterprise, allowing you to experience more success and benefits both in the short and long term. Leveraging technology is crucial for companies to adapt and thrive in rapidly changing business environments.

Your strategic business goals and objectives can be supported through your enterprise’s digital transformation efforts with proper planning and implementation. weavix™ applies the most common digital transformation principles to improve frontline communication, safety, and productivity.

To see how weavix™ can support your enterprise goals through digital transformation, schedule a demo.