You've spent a lot of money and time on software and consulting to get your business ready for the digital future. But somehow it still isn't working? That's where a quick but thorough Digital Maturity Health Check can provide clarity.
The pandemic has given digital transformation another boost. Every second company1 was forced to digitize its processes or find new, digital business models for its products and services. Companies that had already reached a high level of digital maturity before the pandemic were able to maintain or increase productivity during the crisis, while others had to change their processes quickly. However, declining sales also forced many companies to reevaluate or even postpone pending investments and digitization projects.
That's why it's critical to get it right the first time. With our Digital Maturity Health Check, which is based on a standardized set of questions, you can quickly find out which adjusting screws you can turn. Only by asking the right questions will you get the right answers.
Here are three key criteria you should be questioning:
Data quality
Without excellent data, there can be no sustainable digitization. These key questions will help you determine how well your organization is managing data quality.
Processes
Information, products, and services must move from point A to point B in a secure and controlled manner. Use these questions to assess the maturity of your processes.
Agility
Agile is not chaotic, it is a flexible approach that follows a set of rules. Use these questions to find out how agile your organization already is.
“Nur wenn man die richtigen Fragen stellt,
bekommt man auch die richtigen Antworten.”
Arne Kück, Consultant at Xtentio GmbH and Digital Maturity Specialist
Data quality
Excellent data is the fuel of digitalization..
Bad data means bad digitization. Only with high quality data can the business models of the future be realized. Digital twins, Industry 4.0, digital sales, freely configurable products and services - the data quality behind them determines their success. If you can answer these questions with a resounding yes, you are on the safe side.
- Does your organization give the same priority to data quality as it does to product or service quality?
- Is your data collected at the source?
- Is your data immediately up-to-date in all channels after changes at the source?
- Are there individuals specifically responsible for defining and maintaining data governance, e.g. data stewards?
- Are there individuals or teams specifically responsible for data quality assurance?
- Are there mandatory processes for data quality assurance and governance?
- Are there defined rules and KPIs for data quality, and are these reviewed?
Processes
End-to-end digital information supply chains are a must.
Without functioning and lived digital process chains, digital transformation is superficial and does not create lasting value. And when workflows are handled by email or team messages, inefficiencies and errors are inevitable. It's good if you can answer yes to the following questions.
- Is there a valid and well-known process map that shows all relevant business processes?
- Are these processes followed and lived in the organization?
- Are there training courses on these processes?
- Do your employees use a comprehensive task management and workflow tool?
- Are there individuals or teams specifically responsible for process definition and compliance??
- Are there defined quality gates with clear acceptance criteria, and are they tested?
- Are your business processes continuously analyzed, evaluated, developed and optimized?
Agility
Digital champions are often agile champions.
Daring to be more agile does not mean risking the stability of your business. Scrum and the like are not a panacea, but 20 years after the Agile Manifesto, there are agile frameworks and methods for all types of projects and organizations. Digital champions also tend to be more agile than their competitors, able to respond more quickly and flexibly to crises and challenges. If you can answer yes to these questions, you are in this league.
- Are agile mindsets and methods promoted by your leadership?
- Have your employees been trained in agile processes and methods, such as SCRUM?
- Are your projects executed using agile methods and processes?
- Are agile methods and processes, e.g. iteration or design thinking, reflected in your daily business?
- Does your organization use overarching agile frameworks and methods such as OKR or SAFe?
- Are there people or teams responsible for developing, strengthening and spreading agile mindsets and methods?
- Are learning cycles established and is customer feedback actively incorporated into these learning cycles?
Score
Answered 18 to 21 questions with yes?
Congratulations! You are already a digital champion and well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future. You have processes, data, and agility under control, typically generate higher revenues than your competitors, and can bring new products and innovations to market quickly.
Answered 10 to 17 questions with yes?
There is still room for improvement, but you are on the right track. You have probably already achieved some success and built some digital beacons. But there is still room for improvement, and in certain organizational areas, your processes are still quite "old school.
0 to 10 questions answered with yes?
But it's high time to leave the "copy & paste" era behind and take the first steps towards digitalization. Because first-class data, lived processes, and agile innovation and flexibility are key success factors - and will continue to play a decisive role after the pandemic.
If you want to know more about your level of digital maturity, we would be happy to screen your organization with our Digital Maturity Health Check in a total of seven core areas. Together, we'll find out where you're ahead of the game and where there's room for improvement. Learn more in our free slidedeck.
How fit is your company for digital transformation?
Successful digitalization requires more than just good ideas. Find out how you can make your company fit for digital transformation with our Digital Maturity Health Check. Download the free slidedeck now.
1Source: Telekom Digitalisierungsindex 2020
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