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Digital Transformation#

See also: computing

Views on Digital Transformation#

skills-framework-for-the-information-age - (SFIA) Digitial transformation - skills at a glance#

Four categories - giving a view more at the organisational level, than individual

  1. Digital strategy innovation and investments
  2. Digital culture, skills and capabilities
  3. Digital & data transformation, change and governance
  4. Digital technology enablers

These go into some detail, but none includes any form of software development. Even the technology enablers are system design, service support, user experience evaluation, data science, machine learning, requirements definition and management. Moved into boxes that are perhaps less than the sum of the whole.

Digitisation, Digitalisation, Digital Transformation#

Table adapted from Savic (2019, p. 37) provide some distinction, but is problematic in numerous ways, including:

  • Assumes resistance to change is the challenge for digital transformation when (I would argue) that it's doing any of these changes - especially the more disruptive ones - well. Industrial processes worked - but were still problematic (anyone tried to enrol at a University that had digitalised enrolments?) - for the first two steps. Transformation is a different beast.
  • Use of the word electronic rather than digital.
  • Is the goal for digital transformation really culture change? Perhaps a necessary enabler? What is the goal? Transform how and what the organisation does and why?
  • The focus on transformation relying on "new" technologies, there are technologies that can transform that are not new. The focus on chasing the new (the fad or fashion) is perhaps not healthy.

| | Digitisation | Digitalisation | Digital Transformation | | Focus | Data conversion | Information processing | Knowledge leveraging | | Goal | Change analog to digital format | Automate existing business operations and processes | Change company's culture, the way it works and thinks | | Activity | Convert paper documents, photos,...to digital format | Creation of completely digital work processses | Creation of a new digital company or transformation to a digital one | | Tools | Computers and conversion/encoding equipment | IT systems and computer applications | Matrix of new (currently disruptive) digital technologies | | Challenge | Volume Material | Price Financial | Resistance to change Human resource | | Example | Scanning paper-based registration forms | Completely electronic registration processes | Everything electronic from registration to content delivery |

References#

Savic, D. (2019). From Digitization, Through Digitalization, to Digital Transformation---Document---Gale Business: Insights. Online Searcher, 43(1), 36--39.