Practical guidance for maximising your digital investments

Digital technologies are key to ensuring businesses remain competitive and efficient. These considerations are perhaps more important than ever as the economic turmoil makes growth and productivity essential for survival.

Our experts have put together some practical points to help you make the most of your business’s digital investments.

Digital strategy

Even if you have an agreed strategy in place, you should ensure that it is still aligned with your business’s wider objectives and that it encompasses all aspects of your organisation. When your strategy is defined, ensure that your staff are aware of it, have bought into its key elements and are aware of how they can contribute to its delivery.  

Governance

Consider if a digital steering group or programme board, sitting across all digital initiatives, would be beneficial. This group could work to identify dependencies between different teams and would ensure that the right initiatives are being prioritised. 

Data

A good place to begin any transformation is by sorting out your data. Understand it, curate it and create an integrated data platform. Rolling out data analytic literacy skills can be a relatively quick win too. 

Culture

Digital transformation is not just about adopting new technology, it is also about creating a mindset within your organisation. To really embed digital strategy, consider creating a digital community across your organisation to discuss new technologies, share knowledge, identify innovation opportunities and promote existing initiatives. 

Training/Digital community

Assess the digital skills that you need and the training courses that you currently offer. Look at the skills your more junior staff will need in the future to maximise the benefits of your digital investments. 

Plan ahead

Digital technologies are constantly changing. Technology that may not seem relevant now, may provide significant competitive advantages in the future. Work to identify emerging technologies relevant to your business and implement teams that can assess their feasibility through the use of pilots or proof of concepts.