Digital Transformation goes beyond implementing technology for technology’s sake. It’s about changing your business culture, reimagining how your staff and customers interact with technology, and ultimately bringing value and growth to your business through strategically selected technology solutions.
70% of digital transformation projects fail. This means, that of the $3.9tn of money that's expected to be spent on digital transformation by 2027, as much as $2.73tn could be money down the drain!
The reason for project failure varies project by project, however, a key reason for this is a lack of personnel or resources in the team.
It’s not just down to a lack of technical skillset, it can also be due to the personal skills or attributes of the people within your team. Here are eight important roles for your digital transformation project (and the skills they should all have in common).
Project Governance
When spending hundreds of thousands (or millions) of pounds on an IT project, the cost of project failure is huge. Project failure can mean a manner of things, such as the project overrunning, the final solution not meeting all the requirements, or scope creep.
The success of a digital transformation project begins with having the right project governance team in place. They are responsible for setting the direction for the project, taking into account the technology that will be implemented, plus the project’s budget and goals.
Effective governance leads to clear objectives, accountability measures and monitoring strategies, which enables the project team to navigate the digital transformation project with a clear focus.
Project governance in an IT project requires a unique set of skills because of the technical aspects of the transformation project. It is commonly placed in the hands of a Finance Director because of their expertise in managing people and budgets effectively, however a professional with little to no knowledge of IT can’t ask the right questions or dig deeper enough into the technical aspects or have the confidence to challenge their technical teams or suppliers.
IT Project Manager
A Digital Transformation Project Manager puts a comprehensive strategy in place that outlines how and when the final solution will be achieved.
They are responsible for ensuring the smooth and successful delivery of the project, plus managing all the project resources, mitigating project risks and aligning the project outcomes with business objectives.
Throughout the project, they provide analytical project updates to the governance team, which align with the intended project outcomes.
They are responsible for setting up reports and analyses to update the governance team throughout the project.
Like project governance, project management is a role that requires knowledge of IT systems and projects because of the complexities involved in implementing large IT systems.
Business Systems Analyst
We fundamentally believe that, for a business to reach its highest efficiency level, its people, systems and processes (PSP) must be aligned.
One key issue for businesses is that departments work in siloes and have different systems for different functions. Leading to clunky processes, repetition of work, and an all-around inefficient workforce.
The function of a Business Systems Analyst is to provide business leaders with a 360 holistic view of the entire business so they can see the workflows of all their processes and where these processes interact with their systems.
Presented on easy-to-read mind maps, this detailed analysis stage gives businesses a complete understanding of their current state. From here, the BAs identify what needs to be changed/streamlined to achieve the desired outcomes.
Once the BA has created their change recommendations, they work with the project team to gather requirements for the new solution.
Cybersecurity Officer
Transforming (or introducing) technology in your company opens the door to fresh risks: cyber-attacks and data breaches.
A Cybersecurity Officer (or CISO – Chief Information Security Officer) plays a leading role in ensuring that technology initiatives are executed securely and all security best practices are followed.
Any organisation looking to invest in digital transformation without compromising their cyber resilience needs a Cybersecurity Officer to instil their security-minded perspective across the planning and implementation stages.
Investing in a cyber security expert as part of the project can save your business thousands (or even millions) of pounds in the long term.
Data Protection Officer
If your company handles a large amount of personal data, appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO) is a legal requirement.
Whatever your incentive for digital transformation is (e.g. move to the cloud, streamline ways of working, improve customer service, enhance security, reduce running costs, gain competitive advantage), you will need stringent data protection policies for storing customer data.
The maximum fine for non-compliance can be up to 20 million euros, or 4% of annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Therefore, you must start your project with data protection in mind. To avoid damaging data breaches from your digital transformation project, you can enlist the expertise of a Data Protection Officer from the start of the project. They will give oversight and clear guidance throughout the project to make sure your project follows data protection practices.
Even after the project, they can perform frequent data protection reviews to ensure your business complies with the latest data protection rules.
Software Developer
Software development is a crucial part of digital transformation as it means you can build custom software, tweak off-the-shelf applications, perform smooth data migrations and integrate multiple systems.
Software developers support with automating processes, enhancing customer experiences, and gelling all your internal applications together.
They can also support your system once it’s installed by fixing bugs and enhancing its performance and functionality in the future.
Software Tester
As previously mentioned, a successful digital transformation project should improve the user experience for staff and customers interacting with your business. The software testing stage confirms the new application works as intended, free of bugs or errors.
Aside from testing performance, a manual software tester validates the system against your initial specifications and customer requirements.
In short, a software tester detects and resolves all defects in your system before it is released to your users.
Quality Assurance Lead
Quality Assurance (QA) has become a key part of digital transformation, ensuring that digital investments are efficient, user-friendly, and aligned with business objectives.
While testing is a form of quality control, QA is the strategy that includes testing and ensures that the right processes and procedures are in place to achieve the required level of quality.
The Head of Quality Assurance documents and delivers relevant documentation, such as quality standards, guidelines, process documentation and process improvement recommendations.
They also look at quality standards and compliances you must meet, such as ISO, and ensure that your new digital solutions meet these expectations and standards.
Something They All Need
A digital transformation with those technical skills alone doesn’t guarantee the success of your project.
It also requires a certain set of interpersonal skills and mindsets for them to deliver a cost-effective digital transformation project:
- Experience of digital transformation
- Focus on technology
- Adaptability
- Collaboration
- Data analysis
- Leadership
- Change management
- Strategic thinking
Fundamentally, while technical skills provide the tools, it’s the combination of personal skills and character that turns your digital transformation project from a risky one into a successful and valuable one. Having a digital transformation project team that combines technical expertise and the right frame of mind will help your business grow and implement cost-effective business technology.
Meet Your Digital Transformation Partner
If you’re about to embark on a digital transformation journey, hand-pick your team from a selection of experienced and skilled IT professionals.
For the past 15 years, companies have outsourced their digital projects to us, utilising the strength in depth of our office-based team.
Whether you’re looking to outsource an entire team or need external expertise in one area, agile outsourcing is cheaper than hiring a permanent professional full-time. The flexibility of the service means you only pay for the resources you need.
To start building your digital transformation team, speak to our award-winning customer service team today. Fill in this short contact form or phone 01775 722 377.