Digitization requires more than "Digitization"

We are in a time when digitization is not something we can choose whether we want to or not. The question is more about how we can use the opportunities of digitalisation to develop our competitiveness. One challenge I encounter is that digitalisation is often seen as something that only has to do with technology and not something that changes how we work and act as a company. The greatest benefit (return of investment) from investments in digitization is achieved as we not only use new technology but also understand how organization, process and business are affected by this change. This means that people, ie employees, are more central than before to succeed in using digitalisation to strengthen our competitiveness.

We know that technology in itself does not create customer value, even if it is an important part. Customer value arises instead when we can deliver solutions to customers that solve their needs. To be able to do that, we need a process for how we should work together with technology, we need an organization with the relevant roles required to support the needs that the process and technology place on the organization. Central to all these parts are, of course, the employees and leaders in the organization who together ensure that everything works as intended.

In large organizations where technology development is far from the customer / user, it may be that development is technology-driven and not needs-driven, or that the needs are not based on the customers' real needs. Sometimes digitization projects tend to be sharp projects directly because we want to reach the market as quickly as possible. This may be triggered by a competitor doing something similar. Instead, more experimentation is needed internally with the technology to learn how it can work in the best way and understand how processes and organization need to change to create a good overall solution. It is easy to forget that digitalisation affects the entire organization and processes from start to finish.

This becomes especially clear when we as an organization are to deliver today's customer value at an increasing rate at the same time as we are to implement digitalisation. Changes in technology often lead to the need to change the process, perhaps certain parts can be automated or made more cost-effective. If we start measuring things or collecting data in different ways, it also needs to be processed and analyzed to create insights. If we do not act on these insights, nothing is created, but rather frustration in the organization. A clear purpose for why the change is made and a leadership that creates security with clear priorities, participation and with a clear process for is therefore central. An important factor is to have learning and change as a natural part of the organization, in order to succeed in implementing digitization projects.

In short, the future is about being adaptable, where digitalisation is about both short-term gain and long-term sustainability. It is about having the right conditions for what we want to achieve. And, it's about putting people at the center of digitalisation, daring to get involved early even if it takes a little longer in that phase, you have it again during the implementation and the change becomes solid and sustainable and we get employees who are innovative, creative, efficient and well-being.

The benefit is employees who like to go to work, where differences of all kinds are encouraged, where you feel involved and committed and proud to work in an attractive and competitive company!