A Complete Guide to Digital Transformation

Businesses are at a critical juncture: adopt and adapt technology to meet the 24×7, anytime, anywhere demands of customers, employees, and partners. Or risk becoming obsolete.

With new demands on business, more moving parts than before, and the need for delivery speed without sacrificing quality and security, the old ways of managing and using technology only go so far.

A new approach is needed. An approach that’s real-time, intuitive, automated, secure, open, and—most likely—relies on multi-cloud services to enable it. To stay competitive, traditional businesses must evolve practices and processes through digital transformation.

So, what exactly is digital transformation? And how can the modern enterprise achieve it?

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on digital transformation so help you understand what it is, why it is important, and how organizations can successfully transition to it. This guide will cover:

• Digital transformation
• 3 domains of DX
• DX strategy
• DX best practices
• And more

Let’s get started!

What is digital transformation?

Sometimes shorted to DX, digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of the business.

While this might sound simple enough, the term is much more than a straightforward integration of the latest and greatest tech in the workplace. Instead, digital transformation is a complete culture and mindset shift in how an organization both operates and delivers value to customers.

Digital transformation describes the dramatic ways in which businesses are changing and adapting in order to meet the requirements of the era—one in which we face major changes in the way technology is created, managed, analyzed, and consumed.

The digitalization of business is a paradigm shift happening in concert with the age of “more”—more people, using more technology, from more locations, on more devices, for more of the time.

(Understand what Industry 4.0 means for businesses today.)

This might be an easier process for younger companies born during the tech era. But for organizations that have long-standing business processes or simply never needed to rely on technology, this shift is significant and intimidating.

IT professionals are witnessing the impact of digital transformation from a unique perspective—they’re seeing it up close and personal.

The proliferation of technology means there’s more complexity to manage, and the elevated role of technology in businesses means the impact and outcome of the services IT provides have never been more visible or more valued. For example:

• Mobile devices and the apps they run are fueling new expectations from employees, who want self-service and on-demand options to work.
• Cloud computing has redrawn traditional boundaries with new models of procurement, deployment, support, and management.
• Business infrastructure and machinery, not traditionally considered IT, are becoming smarter, network-enabled, and part of an ever-expanding Internet of Things (IoT).

As a result, priorities in IT are shifting and a balance between new methods and traditional approaches needs to be struck to manage the sheer scale of the digital transformation challenge.

Digital transformation is no longer an option. Undergoing DX is becoming a necessity, especially after the global pandemic that upended business as we know it. In fact, according to the 2020 Pandemic Business Impact Survey conducted by data research giant IDG, the dependence on digital technologies for companies has never been more crucial.

With so many relying on technology for work, school, and to stay connected with family, this key strategic initiative is proving to be on the forefront for organizations who’ve yet to start their own transformation.

Domains of digital transformation

If the all-encompassing nature of digital transformation feels a bit overwhelming, we don’t blame you. Luckily, we can break down digital transformation into three key areas:

When we look at DX through these three areas, it might start to feel a little more tangible.

(Explore how to transform each of these areas.)