Forbes: Three Phases of Digital Transformation

BY GRANT KIRKWOOD, CTO & CO-FOUNDER – 20 JULY, 2017 Look around and you’ll see that digital transformation is so ubiquitous that it has touched nearly every industry imaginable. Gone are the days of rewinding tapes before returning them to Blockbuster — they’ve long since been replaced by Netflix and its online streaming platform. Even farmers are incorporating digital technology into their practices to utilize data for a better crop yield.

Digital transformation, defined as the changes that occur in society when digital technologies are applied, represents a fundamental shift in the way businesses operate, completely redefining internal and external activities, processes, competencies and models. By incorporating cutting-edge digital technologies into their everyday operations, companies around the world are developing new business strategies that both enhance the value delivered to customers as well as position themselves for future innovation.

In my experience, the notion of digital transformation extends beyond the implementation of technology, necessitating cultural change throughout an enterprise. This transition forces decision makers to frequently question traditional processes and procedures, opening the door for continual development and improvement.

The cornerstone of digital transformation is the development of new software applications that create a competitive advantage within the marketplace. However, to enable these game-changing innovations and digital transformations, enterprises need to rethink how they consume infrastructure by taking advantage of a hybrid cloud solution.