The myth and lies that is ‘Moving to Digital’ and Digital Transformation…

Back in 2016 I delivered a keynote to the Chief Digital Officers event in London, where they were discussing the revelations that was the next big thing — Digital Transformation…and I couldn’t believe the complete tosh I was hearing. And it’s getting worse.

It was certainly a case of ‘the emperors new clothes’ as the so called CDOs espoused the benefits of going digital and that digital transformation was the answer to future organisational success, although couldn’t give any examples where it had worked.

I have never been shy so I explained to the audience — why Digital Transformation is a myth and can never work… The audience was already dazzled in the headlights of the potential to make money, to fool management and shareholders and charge large fees, on the back of selling ‘digital transformation’ -without knowing what this really means. The creation of another fad the consulting and tech industry do well. A constant flow of apparent new innovations, a new product or version that promises much, yet delivers at most small incremental improvements in performance, that if difficult to measure. They weren’t listening as they were working out how to charge a lot for doing not much…

The term digital I generally struggle with. What does it actually mean in the context of business?

Maybe it’s an age thing, as I have been in tech since 1970’s, yet most of the room at this CDO event where under 40 — most had no…