Creating digital transformation: strategies and steps

Abstract

Purpose

To facilitate the cultural and technical changes that are a hallmark of successful digital transformation, a few leading-edge firms have adopted the principles of FLOW-Agile. 10; 10; 10;

Design/methodology/approach

The FLOW framework formalizes a visual representation of a company’s adaptive value-seeking process being implemented by Agile teams. 10;

Findings

In FLOW-Agile, the aim is to make all processes visible on the walls of operating units and to allow employees to collaborate in constant process redesign so they are continuously defining the best way to get work done.

Practical implications

A case example shows how Paddy Power Betfair, an online betting site, initiated a completely new system of open, visual and collaborative project and process design that now serves more than 3.5 billion application program interface (API) requests every day.

Originality/value

For leaders to guide their companies through the transition to digital culture, a sea change for established businesses, they must be able to understand and explain that culture in the context of the values and the flows of work that make digital-age companies successful. To facilitate the cultural and technical changes that are a hallmark of successful digital transformation, a few leading-edge firms have adopted the principles of FLOW-Agile, an adaptation of the Agile framework designed to enable small teams to accomplish rapid iterations of customer-focused projects in a networked system. The FLOW framework formalizes a visual representation of a company’s adaptive value-seeking process being implemented by Agile teams.

Citation

Shaughnessy, H. (2018), "Creating digital transformation: strategies and steps", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 19-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-12-2017-0126