Digital transformation: it’s the buzz phrase on every tech executive’s lips that won’t go away. But before you continue on the bandwagon and start throwing money at more consultants and fancy new software (rather than the right consultants and right software), you need to ask yourself: what in the world are we hoping to achieve as an organization?

Be brutally honest; do you have complete clarity and alignment between the critical business questions you are asking and the metrics you are using to measure success and value realization?

First and foremost, you need to know your end goal. What kind of numbers are you hoping to hit? Increased revenue? Reduced costs? Improved customer satisfaction? Possibly a combination of benefits? Figure those out first, because, without it, you’re just spinning your wheels.

Next, take a good, hard look at your current technological landscape. What are the pain points? What’s not working? Because let’s face it, you’re not undertaking a digital transformation initiative just to keep people busy, you’re innovating to stay one or more steps ahead of an unpredictable market and your competitors.

Measurement Metrics to Know What Success Looks Like in Value Recognition

Measurement is key. How are you going to know if all this new tech capability you’re implementing is paying off? You absolutely must establish some key performance indicators and track them closely.

There are almost too many key performance indicators (KPIs) that organizations can use to track the success and realized value of digital transformation initiatives. True success comes from identifying and focusing on the right ones for your business.

Here are a few Digital Innovation KPI examples to consider:

1. Operational efficiency: Track the time and resources required to complete tasks, and look for ways to automate and streamline processes.
2. Employee engagement: Measure employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention to gauge how well your digital transformation initiatives are being received.
3. Customer engagement: Track customer satisfaction, retention, and engagement to measure how well your digital initiatives are impacting your customer base.
4. Revenue growth: Monitor the financial impact of your digital initiatives by tracking revenue growth, sales, and other financial metrics.
5. Cost savings: Track the costs associated with your digital initiatives, and look for ways to reduce expenses and improve efficiency.
6. Market share: Measure your market share and compare it to your competitors to determine how well your digital initiatives are impacting your market position.
7. Time to Market: Monitor the speed at which you can bring new products or services to market, and see how it changes with the progress of your digital transformation initiatives.
8. Mobile & Online engagement: Measure how many customers or users are engaging through your online channels or mobile applications, and track the growth or decline of these engagement figures.
9. Data-driven decision-making: Track how often data is being used to drive decision-making in your organization, and look for ways to make data analysis and visualization more widespread.
10. Digital Adoption: Track the adoption rate of your digital platforms and tools across the company and identify areas where further training and support may be needed

It’s important to note that the KPIs you choose to track will depend on the specific goals and objectives of your specific digital transformation initiatives. You should select the ones most relevant to your organization’s long-term goals.

Before Beginning Any Digital Transformation Journey, Carefully Map Your Starting Point

Never gloss over the technical details of your current reality. You need to assess your existing infrastructure thoroughly and figure out what needs to be updated or overhauled.

For tech innovation to stick, you must focus on and build a plan around cultural impact and adoption. Cultural change is hard, and people resist it, you need to be ready to manage it. Make sure your employees, vendors, and customers understand why you’re doing this and how it will benefit them.

Security, governance, and compliance: all crucial. You don’t want to end up in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

And, most importantly, remember that this is not a one-time thing. Advanced technologies and markets are constantly evolving, you need to have a plan for how you’re going to keep up.

Digital transformation isn’t cheap either, you need to be realistic about the resources and budget required, and make sure you’re allocating them effectively. And, last but not least, minimize the disruption of business operations as much as possible.

In short, before diving into the craze of holistic digital transformation, make sure you know what in the world you’re doing and have the plan to survive and thrive.

10 Digital Transformation Alignment Questions

Here are ten starting questions that every company should ask before undertaking a digital transformation initiative:

1. What specific business goals does the digital transformation initiative aim to achieve? (e.g., Increase revenue, reduce costs, improve customer experience)
2. What are the current pain points and limitations in the organization’s processes, systems, and technology that the digital transformation aims to address?
3. How will the company measure and track the success of the digital transformation initiative? What key performance indicators will be used?
4. What is the organization’s current technology infrastructure, and how does it need to be updated or overhauled to support digital transformation?
5. How will the company address and manage cultural resistance to change, and what steps will be taken to ensure employee buy-in and adoption of new technology and processes?
6. What steps will the company take to ensure data governance, security, and compliance with relevant regulations and laws?
7. How will the company stay current and adapt to changing technologies and market trends?
8. What is the organization’s long-term plan for maintaining, updating, and evolving the new systems and processes implemented through digital transformation?
9. What resources and budget will be required for the digital transformation, and how will these be allocated?
10. How will the company ensure continuity and minimize disruption to business operations during the digital transformation process?

Visualizing the Correlation Between the Qualifying Questions and Value-based KPIs

Use the INFOGRAPHIC below as a practical discussion tool during your next team review on digital transformation initiatives under consideration:

Final Thoughts on Guiding Principles & Re-Orientation

Digital transformation. It’s not a project, it’s a shift. It’s a change in the way you do things at their core, the way you think, and the way you lead.

The first question you should ask is not about technology. It’s about what you’re trying to accomplish. Your end goal. Your leadership goal. Your marketing goal. Your customer goal. Your employee goal. Your growth goal. Make it specific and make it measurable.

Next, take a good hard look at your current approach. What’s not working? What’s in the way? Focus on what’s holding you back and make a plan to remove it.

Measuring success is more than just numbers. It’s about the change you’re creating, the difference you’re making, and the impact you’re having. Establish how you’ll measure the change. Tie everything to value creation.

Technology is the enabler, not the driver. Understand what you have, what you need, and what you can do without.

Culture is the key, and it starts with you. Lead the change. Show the way. Make it matter.

Security and governance are not afterthoughts. They’re essential. They’re your responsibility. Make sure you’re doing the right thing.

Digital transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s an ongoing process, not a one-time project. Have a plan for staying relevant, for staying in the lead.

This isn’t about the budget; this is about the investment. Invest in what matters, in what will make a difference.

Digital transformation is not a choice, it’s a requirement. The question is not whether you’ll do it, but how well you’ll do it.

It’s important to note that digital transformation is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. Your company should always have an eye on the future and keep evolving to stay relevant and competitive.