changing how agencies change - embedding digital transformation in organisational dna
TRANSCRIPT
Changing how agencies changeEMBEDDING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN ORGANISATIONAL DNA
Craig ThomlerPublic Sector Digital Transformation Officers’ Summit
20 April 2017
What is Digital Transformation?
Not digitisation – integrating digital tech into workplaces
Not digitalisation – replicating offline processes online
Digital Transformation
What is Digital Transformation?
Use of technology to improve how society, commerce and governance are constituted and operate, to centre them around the self-actualisation of every individual,backed by data-driven evidence.
Agile project management
Goal: Get from A to B
Start End
Test
Build
TestRelease
Plan
Test
Build
TestRelease
Plan
Test
Build
TestRelease
Plan
That’s fine for projects
Defined scope
Defined timeframe
Defined budget
Defined outcome
Perfect for slow-changing environments
Digital transformation involves continual change
Is an endless journey, not a stop-start project
Requires new thinking, organisation and resourcing approaches
You will never see the end –continue changing & evolving over many human lifespans
-2,000,000 Fire-12500 Farming-3500 Monotheism-2350 Sewage systems-500 Democracy1000 Guns1440 Printing press1796 Vaccination1820 Industrialisation1830 Telegraph1846 Petroleum1876 Telephone1886 Horseless carriage1880 Artificial fibres1888 Alternating current1890 Women’s suffrage1894 Radio1904 Production line
1905 Powered flight1907 Plastic1911 Modern fertiliser1916 Drones1925 Artificial organs1928 Antibiotics1937 Computing devices1937 Nuclear medicine1939 Jet aircraft1941 Solar panels1944 Nuclear power1953 DNA1954 Transplant surgery1954 Programmable robot1955 Civil Rights Movement1950 AI Turing test1957 Satellites1960 Birth control pill
1960 Lasers1971 Recombinant DNA1973 Mobile phones1975 Augmented reality/VR1981 Desktop computers1982 Internet1984 Self-drive car1991 Wi-fi1994 World-wide-web1995 GPS1996 Google1998 3D printing2000 Smartphones2004 Facebook2005 YouTube2007 DNA Transplant2014 Cybernetic hand with touch2016 Power-free water from air
There’s been many transformations
Traditional organisations struggle to adapt
Rigid hierarchies – designed to resist change
Budgetary cycles – designed for accountability not outcomes
Torturous decision-making – led by HIPpos, not strategists
Managed not led
Distrust their own staff
Often complexify rather than simplify
How do we transform the DNA of organisations?
Restructures don’t work – swaps one hierarchy for another
Innovation ghettos don’t work – exist on fringe, not in the centre
Change programs don’t work – scope and timeframes too limited to manage continual change & growth
Need a clean break
How do we transform the DNA of organisations?
Turn administrative hierarchy into knowledge-centric matrices – any employee can lead, within their own expertise and skill base, regardless of their position.
Purge untrustworthy staff & untrusting leaders.
Hand back responsibility to all staff, within a responsibility framework.
Create new recruitment dynamic based on attitude, not skills.
Align and connect people by interests and passions.
Provide low-barrier collaboration & connection tools.
Commit to continual self-driven training.
Rigorously enforce ethical standards – the price of admission & retention.
Is changing DNA possible?
In large organisationsYes – Accenture is a model to look at (400,000 staff)
In government-run organisationsYes – introducing blended teams, Agile methodology, 360 degree ongoing assessment, performance-based rewards
Where should organisations start?
Continuous change program – Combine future scanning, innovation & project office with change management
Behaviour change – Make happy, high performing people a core organisational KPI for all staff.
Tool up – Provide, and train people on collaboration tools and practice.
Train up – Make continual training on relevant topics a base requirement for every employee and foster people as internal trainers across the organisation.
Set & measure using meaningful metrics – Outcomes not outputs
De-structure, not restructure – Create a knowledge pool that people can dip into to find relevant & passionate staff for specific tasks.
Tech spheres to keep an eye on (Environmental impacts) Artificial Intelligence (supplementing & replacing human decision-makers)
Automation (of labour)
Autonomous vehicles inc Drones (human-free transport & logistics)
Blockchain (built in transparency on transactions
Cybernetics (better than human)
Genetics (disease eradication, self-driven evolution)
Internet of Things (Internet everywhere)
Renewable energy & batteries (unlimited localised power)
Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality (information layer)
3D Printing (home manufacturing)