A cross-functional structure and way of working allows for shorter communication flows, resulting in greater speed. Technology changes provide greater opportunities, but the overall operating model, processes and tools need to change to take advantage, for example, automated tools for developing, testing, and deploying software; cloud infrastructure to enable faster releases. Together with a talented technology workforce this can provide the company with increased operational efficiency and effectiveness, decreased administrative burden, greater throughput and a better customer experience.

If companies are going to be successful with their Digital Transformation, the key focus from creating and communicating a compelling vision and strategy, to crafting and communication a plan, and then delivering the initiatives and projects, is dependent on the people. More than anything else, digital transformation requires talent. Engineering excellence with top talent is critical.

In pursuit of cost savings, traditional IT has been highly outsourced, to an extent where much of the development and engineering work is done by third-party vendors. This approach is now changing as successful companies value innovation more than cost savings. Many companies are recognising that the engineering culture of small teams made up of high-performance individuals is critical to their growth, so the talent strategy is changing to assemble talent to equip themselves for the future. Some companies are looking to recruit permanently and use key partners to supply key technology input and resources.

Alongside this digital shift is the impact of the pandemic on business such as the move to remote working, However, remote work itself is the tip of the iceberg as more and more companies are shifting their people model to one that values skills-based mobility and contributions instead of location-based work and standard functional expectations.

Digital Transformation requires an end-to-end mindset, a rethinking of ways to meet customer needs, seamless connection of work activities, and the ability to manage across different business functions going forward. Therefore, companies must look at their overall process model and ensure that it fits the new world thinking and supports a transformation that isn’t based on a set of small, disconnected projects and improvements that don’t meet the business outcomes. The company must align their various business functions with the focus on the end customer.