Build foundation for digital transformation with platforms

MY favourite definition of "digital transformation" comes from Current Analysis, where digital transformation is described as a "way of helping companies reduce the complexity of how they interact with their customers". I particularly like that definition because it's relevant to every industry, covers every technology and helps us anticipate the outcome of digital transformation projects (hopefully, reduced complexity of interacting with customers).

For most organisations, reducing complexity for customers is important - happier customers are loyal customers who would spend more, more often. Employees - internal customers - often get left out in these conversations. We can use the definition to apply to employees: reducing complexity for employees is equally important. Happier employees are more loyal, and thus produce more and are more innovative.

It can be argued that digital transformation today would not be relevant were it not for the major technological changes of the last decade: Big Data and analytics, social (consumer and enterprise), mobility, and the Cloud. In the last year or two, however, we're seeing a new wave of trending technologies that are affecting experiences within and outside organisations (and ultimately, affecting customer complexity both within and outside of organisations).