Digital Transformation and AI are not a Change Project

Digital transformation is not something impacting our business - it’s how we do business. Too often, it's treated like a project: a defined initiative with a start and end, a shift from one state to another. But digital transformation isn’t a one-time change. It’s a constant evolution. Just look at AI: the most advanced solution today can be outdated tomorrow, and the same goes for the skills required to use it effectively.

Three typical questions people ask within about digital transformation or AI:

What is the Future State? When is it ready? Where does it live?

The most honest answer to these questions is:

• What is the Future State? It does not exist!

• When is it ready? Never!

• Where does it live? With everyone!

When we frame it as a project to adopt or implement, we risk falling into a cycle of playing catch-up. We solve today's challenges… only to face the same ones again in a few years because we haven’t built the capability to adapt continuously.

So this is how we often approach it... Many digital initiatives start in innovation hubs or with a group of early adopters. But transformation only creates value when everyone across the organisation is empowered to succeed with it. That requires a level of up-skilling everyone, democratization and experimentation, and change capability across the business.

To enable early-adopter, subject-matter-experts or front-runners to lead digital transformation is still a good idea. It shows how things work, makes things specific and takes away fear or discomfort with the unknown. Peers also can be more influential than change communications and change plans. It becomes a risk when it stays with this group, and this group already takes next steps while the majority of people is getting behind. Because value and ROI of digital changes are most driven by the majority of people adopting and using proficiently.

Digital transformation or AI isn’t a destination, a tool or a change project. It’s how we do our business, and it demands that we move from adoption to adaptation.

What’s your experience? How is your organization building its capability to adapt, not just adopt? I’d love to hear your thoughts.