People are behind every technological development. Human intelligence drives Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and Analytics. The future of our digital economy, with its promises of greater efficiency and sustainability, requires committed individuals and teams who fully understand the digital journey to enable and accelerate digital transformation.

1.
Putting People At The Heart Of
The Digital Transformation
OCTOBER 14, 2019
b!y Bruno A. Bonechi
DIGITAL
GETTY IMAGES
People are behind every technological development. Human intelligence drives
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), the Internet of Things (IoT),
Big Data, and Analytics. The future of our digital economy, with its promises of
greater efficiency and sustainability, requires committed individuals and teams
who fully understand the digital journey to enable and accelerate digital
transformation.

2. Digital Transformation Begins At The Top.
Power To The People.
Today the main job of a CEO is to build the best
team and make them to work together at their best of their
collective capability
Leadership sets the direction and framework for digital transformation. Today,
organizations have many digital leaders and advocates, and some would say it is
becoming a crowdedspace. So, who’s the ultimate digital leader?
CEOs and CFOs of course still make the big strategic decisions, but there is a
formidable C- suite with a growing voice in technology and transformation decisions.
CIOs, who at one time focused solely on technology, now have a strategic voice at the
DX table. Meanwhile, titles such as CDO have become commonplace, reflecting the
top-down momentum for digital initiatives and change.
This C-suite focus must inspire collective responsibility, because it is only by gaining
the buy-in and commitment of every employee that an organization can transform its
core business. It can also drive the shift in mindset and culture that is needed to
transform the company.
Technology tends to flatten an organization by eliminating hierarchies and silos. Once
a workforce is imbued with a digital culture and can follow a clear digital
transformation plan, every employee will be empowered to own and accelerate the
transformation process, it’s not simply a top-down exercise. In this spirit, internal
innovation flourishes. Digital change doesn’t have to be a multi-layered process;
instead, with the right framework, it can be unified and straightforward.

3. Technology Redefining Roles.
More Than Change Management.
The widespread adoption and successful application of digital technology requires
careful management. Companies must train their people to embrace the changes
that technology can bring to their day-to-day work. But it’s not just about managing
change. People need real-world knowledge of digitalization and its benefits.
A company needs to be willing to continually evolve every
aspect of its business over time in a whole series of pivots.
Digital technology applies computer intelligence to human knowledge and
processes, offering insights into workplace behaviour and patterns, safety and
wellbeing, and employee engagement. According to Gartner, rather than
diminishing the human touch, digital transformation is redefining the role of humans
as agents of change. In particular, Generation Z is bringing a new dynamic to the
workplace. As digital natives, younger generations understand the power of
disruption and the speed of innovation, and they are keen to stay relevant as
employees. That means developing the skills, knowledge, and focus to promote
continued digital transformation.
We see this happening at Schneider Electric, a leader in digital transformation for
energy management and industrial automation. As Peter Herweck, Executive Vice
President, Industrial Automation, confirms: “Through our own digitalization journey,
pilot phases, peer-to-peer learning, and cross-site collaboration have been most
effective in ensuring the rapid adoption and appreciation of new technologies by our
workforce.” Schneider Electric has incorporated these best digital practices in its
smart factory in China and has already seen compelling results, with a decrease in
quality issues and energy consumption, and an overall increase in equipment
efficiency.

4. And Schneider Electric is piloting cognitive intelligence in the form of an RPA bot that
can narrow the window of service visit times. End-users, therefore, can schedule
service visits more accurately to proactively plan for downtime.
As artificial intelligence evolves and becomes more proficient at solving real-world
problems, it’s important to note that companies will always need domain experts —
humans — to influence which AI models to build and train, to interpret what the AI
models reveal, and to know which actions to take a decrease in quality issues and
energy consumption, and an overall increase in equipment efficiency.
The New Value Chain.
Digital Transformation Is A Human Story.
Will technology take over? As AWS CEO Andy Jassy has said, “There is no
compression algorithm for experience.” Technology will create opportunities based
on new roles and relationships. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technologies,
for example, can empower front-line teams by cutting out unnecessary tasks,
enabling them to spend more time engaging with customers.
Tomorrow cannot be business first and people second
People are the fundamental ingredient in all business transformations, and digital
transformation is no exception. People run businesses, not robots. People provide the
direction and the control, the strategy and judgment. Even with AI and machine
learning, there is no substitute for human intelligence.
But no one person — or company — can achieve true transformation without
cooperation. We need cross-industry initiatives, an open business platform that
brings communities together to share digital strategies and promote a sustainable
future.

5. ​ ​
​ ​
This article is about DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Technology TransformationRelated Topics: Digital | |
Follow This Topic
Bruno A. Bonechi is a Senior Partner at PwC
Digital Consulting Services
1. Leadership is the first step for a clear digital strategy.
2. Digital engagement must span every level in an organization.
3. People are the driving force behind any successful digital transformation.
5. Companies and communities must join forces to shape digital strategies.
4. Technology is moving human activity to other parts of the value chain organization.
If the human elements are overlooked, if leadership and a common purpose are
lacking, digitalization simply will not work. Transforming a business requires two vital
ingredients: human vision and a collective commitment to make change happen on
every level. And with the continuous development of rising technologies such as 5G,
successful digital transformation will depend more than even on people.
The 5 Keys Of Powering Digital Transformation.