Busting the hype around digital transformation

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has today launched a new jargon-free campaign aimed at business leaders making critical decisions on digital transformation. 

Starting with the central idea that core discussions on digital transformation are essentially operational and behavioural issues, rather than technical ones, ACE’s Cutting Through the Hype is an interactive report and five follow-up blogs from industry leaders exploring strategy, leadership, agility, capability and outcomes. 

Taken together they provide a framework for industry professionals to take back to their own businesses and make appropriate decisions on technology and investment. The five deep-dives will be published on ACE’s website over the coming months at www.acenet.co.uk/hype and start with a blog on strategy from Jon Frost of BWB Consulting, which is published today alongside the initial report. 

This will be followed over the summer with separate blogs on leadership by Steven Hale (Crofton Consulting), agility by Richard Shennan (Mott MacDonald), capability by Tony Westlake (Tony Gee and Partners), and technology and outcomes by Marzia Bolpagni (Mace). 

As well as video introductions, the interactive Cutting Through the Hype report also includes a recording of a roundtable discussion, featuring some of the blog authors, exploring the issues in a less structured setting. 

Chair of the digital transformation group and group digital delivery director at Mott MacDonald, Richard Shennan, said: “While most us would recognise that digital means new opportunities, fewer realise that to reap the full rewards of digitisation we first need to focus on changing working practices and culture.

“I’m also aware that it’s an area with a lot of noise and bluster. It’s easy to get sidetracked by noisy marketing campaigns, slick LinkedIn videos and the hundreds of industry experts competing for our attention. We wanted to create something that cut through this hype to the core of the issues – in simple terms, what are the steps needed to realise the benefits of digital transformation? Through this report and the five follow-up blogs, we think we’ve provided an answer that will be applicable to all – from the largest international firms to SMEs.”

Click here to download the Cutting Through the Hype report.