A Glance at Digital Transformation – apart from Processes

A Glance at Digital Transformation – apart from Processes

 

Digital transformation is on everyone´s lips. The focus here is often merely on processes which should be modernized, dusted off and simply digitalized. However, digital transformation implies much more: it involves people, security, quality and of course processes as well.

In our blog article today we would like to elaborate on the holistic definition of “Digital Transformation”, identify the drivers and success factors and focus on important aspects which perhaps do not have the priority when we talk about digital transition.

Digital Transition

Not only for companies but also generally for economy and society, digital transformation or digital transition stands for an ongoing, profound changing process which is triggered through and supported by the recent digital techniques.

The goals that have to be achieved hereby are diverse: other than the efficiency as well as  the quality enhancement and the increase in turnover – being the most important parameters for companies – customer loyalty plays an important role.

Success Factors for the Digital Transformation

In order to establish and not only execute these widespread changes, several success factors are important.

The approach to the digital transition must not only be the perception of a project, but rather the approach to an ongoing process which will be implemented gradually. Agile proceeding as well as courage to fail in details and learn from them, such as involving all resources in the company, especially the staff, are curcial for successs.

The most profound and thorough transition in a company can fail without incorporation of the staff and the acceptance of the new processes. In most cases, it is the people who demand and support digitalization in order to live up to the increased challenges of their daily tasks. Next to the obvious need of a digital infrastructure and modern IT solutions, the foundation for digital transformation is thus the people: customers and staff who expect much from but as well have hopes in digital transition.

Automation as Key Component to the Digital Transition

In addition to the cross-departmental cooperation which has to be promoted and urged, is automation therefore one of the most important components for the digital transformation.

Efficiency enhancement´s and cost reduction´s objectives must be supported by automation. And what´s more according to the surveys, automation is the component which is mentioned and anticipated most often linked to digital transmission.

Regarding the digitalization of more and more far-reaching areas of a company, ensuring and maintaining the systems is even more required.

The interaction between various systems and the increasing number of interfaces and automation in projects go along with the enhancement of quality assurance cycles. Agile project procedure, being indispensable related to digital transformation, bring along more often but at the same time less extensive system updates, which represent potential sources of errors.

Without automated support of quality assurance projects, the increasing number of test cycles for companies and their employees is often not manageable anymore.

Recurring, regressive test cases which are covered by test automation dispense employees from massive test efforts and free up space for the daily business and further important tasks.

Do SMEs fall by the Wayside?

Small and medium-sized enterprises have advantages and disadvantages with regard to digital transformation.

Often agile processes can be implemented easier. Lean structures would then be used to make the changeover easier.

At the same time if the key factor automation would be non-existent, the increasing demands would have a greater impact on the employees.

Therefore, it is important that SMEs can as well afford efficient and specialized automation solutions so that this important part of our value-added chain is not left alone in the digital transformation.

Let us thus not forget the most important factor in the course of all the understanding that we bring up for the necessity of modernizing processes and utilizing new potentials: the human being.

In addition to the obvious goal of cost reduction, automation connected with digital transition must enable individuals to support their companies´ desire of digital transformation. This can only work when the employees are relieved through automated activities and can therefore focus on their other tasks.

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