6 business signals you should know in the digital transformation

Over the years, I have become accustomed to being vigilant in the potpourri of business and technology. Because in the “digital transformation”, I’ve learned that drama and mess are always lurking around the next corner (after you, mind you). So here are six signals you can use to recognize when trouble is imminent. Expressly without guarantee.

(Reading time: 4 minutes)

Today’s discussions about digitization projects are characterized by a lot of empty phrases and half-knowledge. Most of it comes from studies and talks or is simply parroted. Those of you who are a little older and have been involved in such discussions 3,000 times over the last 15 years usually drift away quickly. You don’t really listen anymore because you already know everything. That’s the case with me.

That is dangerous. It’s easy to miss important turns in projects and initiatives. I have therefore gotten into the habit of looking for certain patterns and linking them to corresponding statements. I call them signals. Like in “Signal vs. noise”.

“We have a VERY clear strategy…”

When you hear this sentence, especially from senior company managers, you should pay particular attention. Not only should there not be such a thing as an unclear (or COMPLETELY unclear?) strategy, the sentence actually means something completely different. Namely: “Things are messed up, we should actually go over the books from the ground up, but we’re going through with it now, as we once decided in a completely different situation, and now your spezis are going to make a mess of it”. Such actions usually go wrong: try not to make a good scapegoat and keep your distance if possible.

“Experts agree that…”

Whenever I hear this sentence, my inner self quietly says: “Watch out, we’re leaving the rational and sailing on the sea of analogies”. Because there’s something about experts: they never agree, except on things that are so crystal clear that they can’t disagree. But then again, precisely those things are so insignificant that the experts don’t even have to agree on them. Rather, this sentence is usually used to suggest that something that is questionable should not be questioned. Very bad per se.

“Pick up the management/supervisory board…”

Typical situation in classic digitization projects. A team of innovative people who are eager to get started has a good idea and develops a concept and/or project and now has to “pick up” the management or supervisory board to get it approved.

I always imagine it to be like leaving the children in the play corner at the beginning of the shopping trip in a furniture store so that they can choose their new living room in peace. When you’re ready, i.e. everything exciting is done, you then have to pick up the children so that they can be part of the realization. Or pay the whole bill. (If only you could do it the same way in the furniture store!)

“Please pick up the CEO Müller, the CEO Müller.” Picking him up in real life is sometimes just as absurd as in the gaming corner. No, opening up more retail space no longer automatically leads to more sales. Yes, even OUR customers actually order on their smartphones. Etc. Etc. In my cases, it sometimes felt like trying to explain vector algebra to an eight-year-old.

But, and it has to be said quite clearly, the situation on supervisory boards has improved considerably and no, I don’t mean that sarcastically.

“Interfaces are not a problem for us…”

A typical signal of implementation. In general, the less the phrase is used in digital projects, the easier and smoother interface integrations tend to be. That actually says it all.

“But that pays for the fire…”

This phrase used to be a popular instrument for talking up completely wrong investments in marketing after the fact. The measure, the tool, the campaign did not generate any leads, did not achieve any ROI – but hey – it paid off for the brand. Top.

Back then, this was used to “posthumously” justify any marketing endeavor, no matter how weird. You don’t hear the phrase very often anymore. When you do hear it: Watch out!

“We’re not doing this with Excel…”

Finally, here is an example that goes in the opposite direction: overambitious and “overengineered” solutions. A tool is evaluated and used for even the most trivial tasks. Pragmatism is called for. Others can die in beauty.