Beyond Table Stakes and Best Practices: Five Secrets to a Winning Digital Transformation
By Jannson Engleman, Senior Director of Digital Transformation, Indiana Department of Transportation
“Digital Transformation” is one of those terms (much like “value proposition” or “Agile development methodology”) that is very widely used by many people without a formal, shared definition. When I started at the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to lead its Digital Transformation and tech modernization program, the charge that I gave the team consisted of two parts. The first part, or The What, was “to bring the Agency’s technology that enables business processes onto a single, unified platform (Salesforce).” The second part, or The Why, was “to the end of increased productivity, reduced technical debt, and overall improved efficiency.”
Easy enough, right? Well, of course…if I knew then what I know now!
This experience has taught me many lessons on what Digital Transformation at an enterprise level is, is not, and could be. Aside from the table stakes that come with any strategic program (“yes, you will need a development roadmap,” and “be sure to manage up”), I have compiled a list of five secrets to a successful Digital Transformation. Read on to learn how Dunkin’ Donuts, the Rosetta Stone, Duke Nukem Forever, omelets, and an Irish Pointer named Milka can help you achieve success that you deserve, and your organization needs, and your end users will love.
Who would have guessed that a baker, an old rock, a video game, omelets, and a hunting dog could play a role in Digital Transformation in this modern era?
Secret #1: Dunkin’ Donuts. Back in the ‘80s, there was a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial where Fred the Baker would get up early in the morning, before everyone else, and say, “Time to make the donuts,” and get to work. His job wasn’t overly exciting or cutting edge. But it was work that needed to be done, that people came to expect, and customers relied on. The same thing applies to your teams while a transformation project is underway. Maintenance and support of existing systems still need to happen. Established processes still need to be followed. Delivery standards still need to be met. Find your Fred the Baker, instill trust in them, and empower them to continue making donuts.
Secret #2: The Rosetta Stone. The actual Rosetta Stone (not the language learning software) was discovered by French soldiers in 1799 in Egypt. It is significant because it acted as a bridge between ancient Greek written language (familiar to scholars) and hieroglyphic and demotic written language (unfamiliar to scholars). The lesson here is to find your Rosetta Stone (either a person or terminology) that allows you to effectively communicate with the Finance department of your organization. Sometimes, it may seem like you are speaking a totally different language. But remember, Finance controls the purse strings, and will have specific questions that must be answered for your transformation to be funded now and in the future. Dust off your Rosetta Stone and learn to speak Finance early and often.
Secret #3: Duke Nukem Forever. The video game Duke Nukem 3D was a smash hit in the ‘90s, and its sequel Duke Nukem Forever was supposed to be even better. Groundbreaking, in fact. To pay off on the hype, the development team became obsessed with creating the “perfect” game. As a result, they would constantly push back deadlines to incorporate the latest technology or gameplay innovations into the end product. What ended up happening is the game became legendary for over a decade of delays and revisions, high staff turnover, and missed tech windows (“cutting edge” features were outdated when released). In the end, Duke Nukem Forever became the poster child for what’s known as Perfection’s Paradox. Be intentional about promoting quality over perfection to ensure your Transformation does not become Duke Nukem Forever.
Secret #4: Omelets. As the saying goes, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” The essence of this saying is that sacrifice and (usually) intense change must occur at the micro level in order to reap the benefits at the macro level. So, in the same vein, you can’t create a true digital transformation without breaking existing business processes. This part of the transformation is very important, but also really difficult on a technical and personal level at times. Lifting and shifting existing applications from on prem to the cloud while maintaining existing processes is not a transformation. Re-imagining processes, transitions, and personas to take advantage of the technology available in this moment of time is transformational. Be willing to disrupt the status quo and break a few eggs, without apology, to truly transform your organization like the change agents who have come before you.
Secret #5: An Irish Pointer named Milka. In 1941, Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral was hunting with Milka, his Irish Pointer, in the Swiss Alps. On the trip many burdock burrs, or seeds, kept sticking to Milka’s coat. De Mestral had a natural curiosity and decided to view the seeds under a microscope to understand how these annoying little things worked. Through this curiosity, he gained the inspiration for what would become Velcro – now one of the most ubiquitous fasteners in the world. The lesson here is to seek inspiration to fuel your Transformation, sometimes from unconventional sources. The bare minimum should be to look at what peer organizations do when faced with the same business and customer needs as you, understand the tools they use, and expand from there. Be sure to cast a wide net early on in your project and gain inspiration from a variety of sources to inform your solution; you never know what your Milka and Velcro could be.
So, there you have it, five secrets to a winning Digital Transformation. Who would have guessed that a baker, an old rock, a video game, omelets, and a hunting dog could play a role in Digital Transformation in this modern era? While YMMV (your mileage may vary), leaning into a combination of these five items in a meaningful and engaging way will create a memorable transformation that will impact your organization for years to come. Go be great today!