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Digital Transformation Resource Center

The Digital Transformation Hub

Most digital transformations fail for the same boring reasons, and the ones that work look nothing like the consulting slides. These articles come from decades of watching real systems get built, break and get rebuilt.

No pitch. No pressure.

TL;DR: This hub is about why most digital transformations fail and what the ones that work look like, written from decades of watching real systems get built, break and get rebuilt. The chapters cover why transformations fail, legacy systems, war stories, transformation before it had a name, and scope, inventory and recovery. The last chapter is for leaders who want to write their own transformation book.

This hub is laid out in chapters, from why transformations fail to legacy systems, war stories and what the work looked like before it had a name. If you’ve led one and want to write about it, see my ghostwriting services or start smaller with the Book Discovery Intensive.

The Digital Transformation Hub’s six chapters
Chapter What it covers
1. Why digital transformations fail Why they fail, transformation as plumbing, people, process and technology in order
2. Legacy systems and hard realities Legacy systems that will not die, boardroom versus server room, why nobody chooses to modernize
3. War stories from the trenches Early computing, a big-bang cutover that almost rolled back, the weeks after go-live
4. Transformation before it had a name Getting people off paper, retraining beating fear then and AI panic now
5. Scope, inventory and recovery Scope means everything, the server under the desk, disaster recovery inside the transformation
6. Writing the transformation book What executives get wrong, why field time matters, lessons from three transformation books

1. Why digital transformations fail

People, process, technology: the order that worksA three-step sequence showing the order this hub argues a digital transformation should follow. People come first, then process, then technology. Each step carries the reason the hub gives for its place in the order.People, process, technology: the order that works1PeopleBring people along first. A systemnobody uses changes nothing.2ProcessThen fix the processes nobody fixed.3TechnologyComes last. The technology is rarelythe problem.
People, process, technology: the order that worksA three-step sequence showing the order this hub argues a digital transformation should follow. People come first, then process, then technology. Each step carries the reason the hub gives for its place in the order.People, process, technology: the orderthat works1PeopleBring people along first. A system nobodyuses changes nothing.2ProcessThen fix the processes nobody fixed.3TechnologyComes last. The technology is rarely theproblem.

People, then process, then technology: the order the hub says makes a transformation work.

↑ Back to chapters

2. Legacy systems and hard realities

↑ Back to chapters

3. War stories from the trenches

↑ Back to chapters

4. Transformation before it had a name

↑ Back to chapters

5. Scope, inventory and recovery

↑ Back to chapters

6. Writing the transformation book

↑ Back to chapters

Thinking about a book of your own? Start with the Ghostwriting Hub. Related: Cybersecurity Hub, Disaster Recovery Hub, Leadership Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do most digital transformations fail?
For boring, predictable reasons: people who weren’t brought along, processes nobody fixed, and legacy systems that were never going to die on schedule. The technology is rarely the problem.
Should people, process or technology come first?
People, then process, then technology. A system nobody uses changes nothing, however good it is.
Is a big-bang cutover ever the right choice?
Sometimes, when running two systems in parallel costs more than the risk. It needs a tested rollback plan and people ready to work the weekend it goes wrong.
Can my transformation experience become a book?
Yes, and it’s among the most useful books an executive can write, because the next leader facing the same project gets your scars without paying for them.

Is your transformation experience a book?

You lived through the projects everyone else only writes slides about. That experience saves the next leader years of scar tissue. Let’s talk about turning it into a book.

No pitch. No pressure.

Categories and tags
CategoriesTechnology
TagsResearchWriting Craft
About the Author
Richard Lowe, professional ghostwriter

Richard Lowe is a professional ghostwriter and author with 113+ books authored and 54+ ghostwritten. Before writing full time he spent 33 years in enterprise technology, including 20 years as Director of Computer Operations and Technical Services at Trader Joe's. He writes nonfiction, fiction and memoir, and works with executives and experts on books that build authority.

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of Richard Lowe and are based on personal experience and research. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional legal, financial, accounting, or business advice. Always consult with qualified professionals before making important business or legal decisions. Richard Lowe is not a lawyer, accountant, or licensed professional advisor, and this content does not establish any professional relationship.

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