Engage For Success – part 3 of 4.

In the previous two part of this series, titled The Challenges Of Digital Transformation and What Does The Data Say, we addressed how alignment with the overall business strategy, the implementation of a whole of business Decision Support Data Baseline, and the production of a Prioritisation backlog of initiatives, are all critical components of a successful Digital Transformation strategy.

In this article we reflect on how Transfit approaches the successful execution of these prioritised programs of work.

A week or so ago I posted this delightfully simple graphic, by Jonny Schneider in his article Trio of Trouble - Design Thinking, Lean, Agile, presenting how these methodologies should work in unison to deliver successful Digital Transformation outcomes.

At the risk of doing the "consultant thing" of taking something simple and turning it into something complicated, I wanted to further explain how we implement this from a client engagement perspective.

This graphic shows the typical stages of IT projects. Whilst I appreciate there are many alternative views of this and that we could easily debate the titles and merits of each element, the key message here is around where and how businesses should engage with their providers to maximise the likelihood of success from any IT implementation.

Many IT service providers / business partners, including my previous successful Application Development business, are typically engaged at the beginning of what we call the Deliver Assurance phase (bottom right of this graphic). 

In this scenario providers are, to varying degrees, given a set of requirements, a budget, a time line, and an internal team to work with as the foundations of our engagement. The obvious problem here is that the provider has little, if any, opportunity to shape or influence the upstream decisions that have been taken in what we call the Success Shaping phase. This represents an immediate risk for the provider and an associated price premium for the client which, albeit unintentionally, creates a somewhat adversarial relationship from the get-go. 

Whilst, with the application of methodologies such as Scrum and MVP, these conflicts can be managed successfully, this lack of engagement at the Success Shaping phase is a major contributor to failed IT project outcomes. 

Nowhere is this more evident than the findings from the Microsoft Australia report titled, “Understanding Your Journey to Data-Driven Digital Maturity” as referenced in the first part of this series, The Challenges Of Digital Transformation, we cited 'customer resistance to change' as the main reason Customer Experience initiatives were failing at an alarming rate and at a significant cost to business. 

A well executed Problem Definition phase, based on Design Thinking / Human Centred Design principles, and leveraging the Decision Support Data Baseline, should identify and test these kinds of issues in advance of delivery execution. Furthermore, adopting an MVP / Fail Fast approach to the Prototype and Mobilise phase should equally smoke out such issues before significant investment is consumed. The end iterative engagement looks more like this model, suggested by Geert Claes in his article “When, which … Design Thinking, Lean, Design Sprint, Agile”, than the lineal version presented previously.

Given our fervent belief in this approach, Transfit have placed a high priority on recruiting team members who have the extensive Management and Technology Consulting expertise to execute these interdependent phases.

These consultants are charged with aligning these Success Shaping and Delivery Assurance phases by blending a disciplined approach to robust, predictable, transparent, and integrated methodologies such as Design Thinking, Lean, and Agile, with a healthy dose of pragmatic real-world business experience. 

This is all delivered in short sprints and geared towards effectively and efficiently engaging and supporting our client’s key stakeholders as they execute on their Prioritisation program of works.

In turn, this engagement will be complemented by our industry leading expertise in the core IT pillars of Cloud, Enterprise Software, Bespoke Solutions, and Data and Insights, who are charged with implementing these technologies in such a way as to drive our clients to a position of competitive advantage in their respective markets.

The result of this blended consulting capability is a holistic, aligned, and risk reduced engagement and delivery of our client’s most important Digital Transformation initiatives.

Up next: Make Your Mark! - part 4 of 4.

About the author: Graeme Armstrong started Readify in 2001 and held the post of CEO then Sales Director through their sale to Telstra in 2016 and his departure in 2018. Returning to his entrepreneurial roots Graeme has now launched Transfit, a specialist digital transformation consultancy, purpose built to help clients of all sizes with a holistic blend of management and technology consulting.

If you feel Transfit’s capabilities and approach can assist your company’s digital transformation program, or you feel you have what it takes to join our elite consulting team, please connect with us via LinkedIn or at www.transfit.com.au.