4 Principles to Guide Your Digital Transformation

毋庸置疑，數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型不再是可有可無(wú)之事，而是勢(shì)在必行。事實(shí)上，埃森哲新近的研究業(yè)已發(fā)現(xiàn)，在2018年之前的三年里，在行業(yè)里率先采用企業(yè)技術(shù)的公司，增速是落后者的2倍。今天，倍數(shù)變成了5。拒絕數(shù)字化或行動(dòng)遲緩的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，不只是屈居人后，甚至是被淘汰出局。

Clearly, digital transformation is no longer an option, but an imperative. In fact,?recent research from Accenture?has found that in the three years prior to 2018, firms who led their industry in enterprise technology adoption grew two times faster than laggards. Today, they are growing five times faster. The risk is no longer merely getting left behind, but being eliminated altogether.

然而，不要誤會(huì)，技術(shù)可不是數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型的全部。僅僅是選擇出色的供應(yīng)商，做一些用戶培訓(xùn)，離數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型的成功還有迢迢遠(yuǎn)路。它絕不是技術(shù)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者和IT部門(mén)的獨(dú)角戲，而是與生態(tài)系統(tǒng)中的多個(gè)利益相關(guān)者緊密相關(guān)。

Make no mistake, however, digital transformation is not just about technology. Success involves far more than simply procuring competent vendors and doing some user training. These initiatives can no longer be left solely at the feet of technology leaders and IT staff, but must involve a diverse set of ecosystem stakeholders.

我們極其需要轉(zhuǎn)換焦點(diǎn)，不可把它視為一個(gè)技術(shù)問(wèn)題。諸如成本優(yōu)化和流程改進(jìn)這些基本的目標(biāo)，不再是終極目的。領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者務(wù)必要激發(fā)并賦能整個(gè)組織去大膽地重新想象他們的工作環(huán)境、顧客需求、產(chǎn)品形態(tài)甚至企業(yè)的目的。

We’re desperately in need of a shift in focus. We need to do more than just implement technology. Basic objectives such as cost optimization and process improvement can no longer be the ultimate aim. Leaders must inspire and empower their entire organization to boldly reimagine their work environment, customer needs, product offering, and even the purpose of the enterprise.

我們的工作是幫助一些世界級(jí)的卓越企業(yè)應(yīng)對(duì)數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型的挑戰(zhàn)。在工作中，我們聚焦四個(gè)關(guān)鍵的原則。

In our work helping some of the world’s top-performing organizations navigate the challenges of digital transformation, we focus on four key principles:

原則一：數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型≠創(chuàng)新

Digital transformation is not the same as innovation.

在過(guò)去幾十年里，數(shù)字化創(chuàng)新的速度可謂一日千里。但是，電子商務(wù)、社交媒體、移動(dòng)網(wǎng)絡(luò)乃至流媒體開(kāi)始對(duì)企業(yè)產(chǎn)生影響，其實(shí)是從十年前開(kāi)始的?，F(xiàn)在，它們是幾乎所有企業(yè)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)環(huán)境里的重要組成部分。

The pace of digital innovation over the past few decades has been nothing less than earth-shaking. E-commerce, social media, the mobile web, and even video streaming didn’t really begin to impact businesses until about a decade ago. Now they are significant components of the competitive environment for almost any enterprise.

因此，不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，由于諸如機(jī)器人流程自動(dòng)化（RPA）、機(jī)器學(xué)習(xí)、云計(jì)算這些先進(jìn)技術(shù)隨處可得，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者很容易迷失在技術(shù)創(chuàng)新的無(wú)限可能中去。然而，數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型的主旨并不是創(chuàng)新，而是要實(shí)現(xiàn)更佳的商業(yè)效益。

So it shouldn’t be surprising that with the advanced technologies available today, such as robotic process automation, machine learning, cloud computing, and so much more, it’s easy for leaders to get lost in all of the incredible possibilities. Yet digital transformation isn’t about innovation. It’s about achieving better business outcomes.

正因?yàn)槿绱?，我們才建議客戶從問(wèn)與生意相關(guān)的問(wèn)題開(kāi)始，比如，如何通過(guò)應(yīng)用更快、更柔性的技術(shù)來(lái)更好地服務(wù)消費(fèi)者？再比如，我們?cè)撊绾纬浞掷萌斯ぶ悄芗夹g(shù)以改善員工的體驗(yàn)并留住頂尖人才？明確了企業(yè)的目標(biāo)，才能回到技術(shù)決策環(huán)節(jié)去攻堅(jiān)克難。

That’s why we advise our clients to start by asking business-related questions, such as “How could we better serve our customers through faster, more flexible technology?” or “How might we leverage artificial intelligence to improve employee experiences and retain top talent?” Once you identify business goals, you can work your way back to the technology decisions.

舉個(gè)例子，在線服裝行業(yè)的一位客戶，曾試圖縮減庫(kù)存，以改進(jìn)成本效率。那個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的目標(biāo)，引導(dǎo)他們購(gòu)買(mǎi)了一些系統(tǒng)。而這些系統(tǒng)，則成為遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出此目標(biāo)的轉(zhuǎn)型的基礎(chǔ)。轉(zhuǎn)型充分利用了數(shù)據(jù)分析來(lái)削減與管理“呆滯庫(kù)存”（excess inventory）相關(guān)的成本，同時(shí)改進(jìn)顧客滿意度和利潤(rùn)率。

For example, one of Andrea’s clients in the online apparel industry sought to improve cost efficiency by reducing inventories. That simple objective led them to invest in systems which formed the basis for a much larger transformation that leveraged data analysis to reduce costs related to maintaining excess inventory in their warehouse while improving customer satisfaction and profit margins.

原則二：征招“狂熱者”

You need to enlist the enthusiasts.

任何轉(zhuǎn)型面臨的第一件事都是阻力。希望維持現(xiàn)狀的人，總有他們自己的慣性，而且絕不肯體面地放棄手中的權(quán)力。然而，沒(méi)有組織會(huì)是鐵板一塊，總有一些人熱衷于改變現(xiàn)狀。他們是可識(shí)別且可利用的。你一定想從變革者占多數(shù)的地方開(kāi)始轉(zhuǎn)型。

The first thing that every transformation must confront is resistance. The status quo always has inertia on its side and never yields its power gracefully. However, no organization is monolithic. There are always pockets of enthusiasm that can be identified and leveraged. You always want to start in an area?where enthusiasts are in the majority.

比如說(shuō)，當(dāng)征信巨頭益博睿（Experian）的首席信息官（CIO）為向顧客提供實(shí)時(shí)的數(shù)據(jù)訪問(wèn)服務(wù)，欲用基于云的架構(gòu)替代傳統(tǒng)技術(shù)時(shí)，他知道公司里的有些人會(huì)反對(duì)。然而，因?yàn)閺囊褜?duì)云計(jì)算倍感興奮的產(chǎn)品經(jīng)理開(kāi)始，他成功地規(guī)避了早期的抵制。

For example, when the CIO at Experian sought to shift from traditional technology to a cloud-based architecture in order to offer its customers real-time access to data, he knew that some within the firm wouldn’t like it. However, because he started with product managers already excited about the cloud, he was able to sidestep early resistance.

一家日本銀行在采用區(qū)塊鏈相關(guān)的技術(shù)時(shí)也面臨相似的處境。高管對(duì)區(qū)塊鏈技術(shù)的前景十分看好。然而，他們知道，許多中層管理人員認(rèn)為它會(huì)干擾成熟業(yè)務(wù)。因此，他們避開(kāi)了既有的顧客，而是瞄準(zhǔn)一個(gè)新的細(xì)分市場(chǎng)——更年輕、精通技術(shù)的企業(yè)主，因?yàn)樗麄儠?huì)對(duì)產(chǎn)品的新特性感興趣。

A Japanese bank had a similar issue with blockchain-related technologies. Senior leaders were enthusiastic about the possibilities. Yet they knew that many middle managers would see it as a distraction from more proven lines of business. So instead of focusing their efforts on existing customers, they shifted toward a new segment of younger, tech-savvy entrepreneurs who would be attracted to the novelty of the offering.

原則三：從一項(xiàng)里程碑式的變化開(kāi)始

Start with a keystone change.

每一次變革，都是由一種愿景和命運(yùn)（vision and destiny）的觀念驅(qū)動(dòng)。變革的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者可以盡力描繪愿景，但是，人們通常很難將潛在的收益內(nèi)化到足以克服天生的偏見(jiàn)——損失規(guī)避的程度。許多人都是不見(jiàn)兔子不撒鷹，只有在看到新的主張取得了某種成功，才會(huì)全力支持它。

Every transformation is driven by a sense of vision and destiny. Change leaders can try to articulate that vision, but it’s often difficult for people to internalize the potential enough to overcome their?innate bias for loss aversion. Many will need to see the idea achieve some success before they are willing to buy in.

因此，從一項(xiàng)里程碑式的變化開(kāi)始，才能為更大的轉(zhuǎn)型鋪平道路。在得克薩斯州的阿馬里洛學(xué)院（Amarillo College），變革就是從理解學(xué)生為何頻繁退學(xué)這個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的訴求開(kāi)始的。學(xué)院院長(zhǎng)拉塞爾·勞瑞爾-哈特（Russell Lowery-Hart）博士決定寄希望于數(shù)據(jù)分析，以更好地理解退學(xué)率高的關(guān)鍵原因，發(fā)現(xiàn)問(wèn)題的根本所在。過(guò)去的調(diào)查結(jié)果呈現(xiàn)了許多原因，從持續(xù)的財(cái)務(wù)壓力，到宿食安全問(wèn)題，焦慮、沮喪、精神緊張，交通不便或不得不成為一位主要照顧者，或僅僅是因?yàn)殄X(qián)花光了。

That’s why we prefer to start with a?keystone change?that can pave the way for greater transformation. At Amarillo College in Texas, which Todd advises, it started with a simple desire to understand why students were dropping out with such frequency. Its President, Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, decided to invest in data analytics to to better understand the key drivers of attrition rates and get to the root of the problem.?Survey results showed a host of causes, from ongoing financial challenges; to housing and food insecurity; to anxiety, depression, and stress; to access to transportation or having to be a primary caregiver; to simply running out of money.

對(duì)數(shù)據(jù)分析的投資為學(xué)校如何理解學(xué)生、服務(wù)好學(xué)生以及為學(xué)生著想提供了全新的視野。結(jié)果，伴隨著教育“公平鴻溝”（equity gap）在“黑人、原住民和有色人種”學(xué)生（BIPOC）中大幅收窄，在拉丁裔學(xué)生中完全消弭，學(xué)生的畢業(yè)率大幅飆升。“當(dāng)整個(gè)系統(tǒng)基于希望學(xué)生成功而建構(gòu)時(shí)” ， 勞瑞爾-哈特說(shuō)：“整個(gè)模式都發(fā)生了改變，除了學(xué)院的財(cái)務(wù)狀況，還包括我們對(duì)基本使命的認(rèn)知。”

That investment led to a completely new vision for how the school could understand, serve, and advocate for its students. As a result, completion rates soared while the equity gap closed significantly for BIPOC students and closed completely for Latinx students. “When systems are built to love students to success,” Lowery-Hart told me, “the whole model changes, including not only the economics, but our conception of the basic mission.”

與之相似，益博睿上云也不是一蹴而就的，而是從內(nèi)部施行API（應(yīng)用程序接口）做起的。一旦轉(zhuǎn)型團(tuán)隊(duì)能夠證明公司范圍之內(nèi)的實(shí)時(shí)數(shù)據(jù)訪問(wèn)具有商業(yè)價(jià)值，再打造一個(gè)充分展示云技術(shù)的案例就容易得多了。

In much the same way, Experian didn’t shift to the cloud all at once, but instead started with implementing internal API’s. Once the transformation team could demonstrate the business value of improved access to data within the confines of the organization, it was much easier to build a case for full deployment of cloud technologies.

原則四：利用數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型重構(gòu)企業(yè)

Leverage digital transformation to reimagine the enterprise.

技術(shù)本身不是目的，而是到達(dá)彼岸的渡船。目的應(yīng)當(dāng)存在于企業(yè)的服務(wù)之中，而非其他。僅僅靠某個(gè)特定的技術(shù)項(xiàng)目或別的方面做出改進(jìn)，無(wú)法獲取數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型的真正價(jià)值。它的終極目標(biāo)應(yīng)當(dāng)是全面重塑企業(yè)，改變組織在市場(chǎng)中創(chuàng)造、交付、獲取價(jià)值的方式。

Technology is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. It should be in the service of the enterprise, not the other way around. The real value of digital transformation cannot be achieved in one particular initiative or another. The ultimate goal should be a full-scale reinvention of the business that transforms how the organization creates, delivers, and captures value in the marketplace.

前面提到的服裝企業(yè)發(fā)現(xiàn)，優(yōu)化后的數(shù)據(jù)系統(tǒng)，讓他們徹底改變了設(shè)計(jì)產(chǎn)品線的思考方式，不再像過(guò)去那樣對(duì)市場(chǎng)流行亦步亦趨，而是依據(jù)在其平臺(tái)上觀察自家客戶所獲得的洞察前瞻性地設(shè)計(jì)服裝。這個(gè)新的商業(yè)模式成為一個(gè)關(guān)鍵性的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)優(yōu)勢(shì)，使其在這個(gè)品類(lèi)中占據(jù)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位，實(shí)現(xiàn)了兩位數(shù)的營(yíng)收增長(zhǎng)。

Andrea’s apparel client found that improved data systems allowed them to completely change the way they thought about how they designed their product line. Rather than trying to react and adapt to fashion trends in the marketplace, they were able to proactively design clothing according to insights they were seeing develop with their own customers on their own platform. This new business model became a key competitive advantage, allowed the firm to take a leadership position in its category, and drove double-digit revenue growth.

益博睿轉(zhuǎn)向云計(jì)算產(chǎn)生了一個(gè)平臺(tái)Ascend，助客戶基于近乎實(shí)時(shí)的數(shù)據(jù)（near real-time data）做出信貸決策。它現(xiàn)在是公司利潤(rùn)最豐厚的產(chǎn)品之一。阿馬里洛學(xué)院投入在諸如食物、交通、兒童保育等服務(wù)和資源上的每一美元，創(chuàng)造出超過(guò)之前3倍的畢業(yè)率，變成了16美元的學(xué)費(fèi)。最初的成功，讓學(xué)院為開(kāi)創(chuàng)性的新項(xiàng)目大力投資，這些項(xiàng)目聚焦于在教育程度低下的社群開(kāi)展大眾化的職業(yè)教育。這些變革都有數(shù)字技術(shù)的加持，但人才是其核心。

Experian’s cloud transformation led to?Ascend, a platform that allows its customers to make credit decisions based on near real-time data. It is now one of the company’s most profitable products. For every dollar Amarillo College invested in services and resources such as food, transportation, and childcare, $16 of tuition was retained by more than tripling completion rates.?That initial success led to funding for groundbreaking new programs focused on democratizing skills-based education in underserved communities. Each of these transformations was enabled by digital technology, but had humans at the core.

最后，數(shù)字工具的最大用處，不是降本增效，甚至不是更敏捷地適應(yīng)，而是提出了根本不同的問(wèn)題。正是因?yàn)榻?jīng)由探索這些新的可能，我們才能解決復(fù)雜的問(wèn)題，并為顧客、雇員以及我們服務(wù)的社區(qū)創(chuàng)造更有意義的價(jià)值。

In the final analysis, the most powerful use of digital tools is not to cut costs, create efficiencies, or even move faster and with greater agility, but to ask fundamentally different questions. It is through exploring these new possibilities that we can solve complex problems and make more meaningful impacts for customers, employees, and the communities we serve.

文 / 葛瑞格·賽特爾（Greg Satell）、安德莉亞·凱茨（Andrea Kates）、多德·麥克利斯（Todd McLees） ?

譯 / 鄧中華