At BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, we have the privilege of helping to make our clients’ digital transformations happen across government, the military and financial services – and when you’re in the trenches, you can’t help but pick up some war stories. Here’s some things we wish we’d known at the outset…
1) The difference between ‘digitalisation’ and ‘digital transformation’

2) Prioritise people

3) Digital transformation must be championed from the top

This requires leaders to be credibly ‘digitally literate’ whilst embracing the view of SMEs around them. Up-front investment in senior management’s understanding on the subject plus them subscribing to noticeably different digital leadership behaviours will drive their investment in the change and give them the ability to play their part.
4) Empowered employees are typically more effective

5) Most organisations are not highly flexible

6) Central orchestration is necessary

7) Don’t forget tried and tested

The compelling case for change and a guiding ‘North Star’ vision remain imperative. Failure to get these right results in constant ‘row backs’ as people question and re-question why they are going through the disruption that inevitably comes with significant change.
8) Redefine the employee experience

9) Change should be data driven

Baselining and measuring improvements in change maturity, change readiness and engagement offers the opportunity to show tangible and demonstrable impacts from effort focused on managing people through a process of change. By quantifying some of the classic intangibles of change, you’ll be better equipped to manage them and course-correct when needed.
10) All about agile

Digital transformation and the shift to a more ‘agile’ mindset go hand in glove but often fall foul of agile zealotry. Transformation can benefit from many agile principles such as learning by doing and bringing the customer into the design and delivery process. This does not mean everything needs to be run in two week sprints where concepts like scope are seen as an anachronism.
Digital transformation is complex and success is not guaranteed. But celebrate each step forward, learn from every failure and make sure you put the right focus into the most important ingredient for every successful transformation – your amazing people.
Learn more about our work in Digital Transformation; see our perspective on Secure Digital Transformation or explore our Digital and Data Services and stay up to date with the latest thinking, trends and technologies from our Government team below.
About the author
Ben Starkie is Head of Change Capability at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
ben.starkie@baesystems.com
Ben Starkie is Head of Change Capability at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
ben.starkie@baesystems.com
Further reading
- Digital transformation is about culture, innit. Mivy James explains why digital transformation isn’t really about the technology at all, it’s about culture and ways of working
- The Transformer. For a variety of reasons, digital transformation continues to be a step too far for many organisations. Here, Sandy Boxall says that they can be done, pointing to the success of the Royal Navy’s NELSON programme to illustrate his point
- Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Hannah Green says adaptability and mindset are all crucial when it comes to the ever-evolving field of software development
- Transformation – combining agility with learning. How can organisations and their employees adapt to rapidly changing times? The answer, says John Cumming, is to recognise the value of learning…
- Transformation in the Time of Corona. The Corona Virus has turned our lives upside down but that’s not all, says Mivy James. It’s also highlighted the plight of the digitally excluded, as well the systemic changes which should be made permanent, not temporary
- Whitehall’s Digital Transformer. Having data is one thing, effectively exploiting its potential is quite another. In this guest blog, Yvonne Gallagher, digital transformation lead at the UK’s National Audit Office, examines how government can turn data into delivery