WHY IS THERE SUCH A HIGH FAILURE RATE IN BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION TODAY?

The true number of business transformation project failure is underreported. Depending on which research you follow, the figure is between 70% – 80% of business transformation projects end in failure. There is five (5) main causes in business transformation failure are – lack of stakeholder involvement, lack of senior stakeholder support, changing requirement, incomplete requirements and poor planning.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH EXISTING APPROACHES?

Nothing. They are good at the purpose they were designed for, except they are now used for a different purpose, and that is not the original purpose they were designed for. Look at TOGAF® (The Open Group Architecture Framework) for example – it’s a framework for managing ‘technology’ or ‘technology changes’. It is not surprising, it was written by a “technology standards company”. They know and understand technology. What is happening is, TOGAF® is being used in business transformation projects that the ‘framework’ to manage the ‘transformation’, but it only focuses one thing – technology. It doesn’t focus on anything else other than Technology (it almost completely ignores, the other two (2) important aspects of the organisation – People, and Process(es)). It also ignores how to transition the business from the current state, to its desired future state. It effectively put the Technology stakeholders in the drivers set, to dictate to the Business what they think they want and literally throw it over the fence to the Business for them to work out if first it is fit for purpose, and then how to use and implement it.

HOW DOES HOBA® SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION TODAY?

HOBA® solves the 70% failure rate in business transformation problem by addressing the causes that problem in the first place – by putting the Business back into control, to take control back from Technology and into their own hands, using a structured process and framework that was developed WITH the Business, BY the Business, to be USED and OWNED by the Business, putting the control back into their own hands.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS AND HOW DOES HOBA® HELP?

The biggest problem with business transformation projects is firstly the name. “Business Transformation” is incorrectly called or referred to as “Digital Transformation”. ‘Digital Transformation’ is a misnomer, it is not ‘digital’ per se that is ‘transforming’, it is the ‘Business’ that is transforming, and how it does or is doing that in this period of time is via ‘digital technologies’ (if ‘technology’ isn’t already digital, what were they before?). What this intentional confusion in the marketplace is causing, is it causes is an incorrect bias and focus on the ‘technology aspect’ only of the transformation, which by doing so completely ignores the Business aspects – that’s the Business Operations Stakeholders and their concerns, and the Processes those stakeholders carry out. HOBA® helps by putting the Business back in to control, to be very clear and structured with what is the Vision, Strategy, Objectives and Measures, what stakeholders are involved and need to be involved in the transformation and their decision making authority, the process to manage those decisions, scope and risks; what are the problems they want to address or opportunities they want to take advantage of; what benefits they want to realise from the transformation and when; what the future or Target Operating Model (TOM) needs to look like to achieve their Vision and Strategic Objectives and business benefits, and how and when will the changes be implemented. Everything and nothing more, only doing what needs to be done, to transform the business, not doing what is happening in the marketplace today and that is ‘creating reams and reams of colourful models and diagrams, that while beautiful, are in reality just “interesting but (sadly) useless”.

WHAT IS THE DESIGN PROCESS?

The Design Process is the 6-Step process used to implement HOBA® and manage the transformation from the very start, to the very end, implementation.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION IN THE MARKETPLACE?

The biggest misconception in the marketplace today with business transformation is that Clients are led to believe that they need ‘reams and reams’ of pretty colourful presentations to transform your business. This is a fallacy. This only creates expensive shelf-ware. What those ‘pretty presentations’ are designed for is to enable the transformation project to keep moving toward its end goal, transforming the Business. What the Clients are led to believe is those ‘pretty presentations are the actual goal of the project, and often celebrated and hang up on the project office wall with great bravado as if they were the goal of the transformation itself! What those ‘pretty presentations’ actually need to be is two (2) things – first, is they need to be understandable, and written in a language that the Business understands, so first they can understand what it and they mean, and then they can agree to it. Then second, then they need to be useful. A lot of Consultants and Consultancy’s wanting to impress their clients with great marketing, pretty presentations and long list of impressive acronyms and latest “it” words, but this just confuses the Client. What happens is the Consultants will present their ‘ideas’ (because that’s what they are, they have had one meeting with the Client, interpreted that into their own words and perspectives, and come back to them several weeks and months later, having not consulted with them through the process, thinking ‘they know their Clients business best (they don’t, the Client does!) and play back their 300+ page power-point presentation that looks impressive), they present it to the Client, the Client has no idea what it means or says (its written in a foreign language, literally), due to the time it’s taken, and the money it has cost at that point, the Client agrees to it in the room, then walks out the room, and completely ignores everything the Consultant(s) said. The transformation goes nowhere. HOBA® solves that problem, refer to the first question above.

HOBA® is trusted by the UK Government, FTSE-100 companies and start-ups to both set up, and also turnaround their failing transformations. HOBA® is used by thousands around to transform their business, and was made public for the first time in late 2018, after over 10+ years in use with private clients, published in The Business Transformation Playbook – How to Implement Your Organisations Target Operating Model (TOM) and Achieve a Zero-Percent Failure Rate Using the 6-Step Agile Framework’, reaching bestseller on Amazon in 6-categories including Project Management and Consulting, and made it onto the Best Business Strategy eBook List of All Time by BookAuthority, at no.30 (March 2021). See News for details.

CAN I READ A PREVIEW OF THE BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION PLAYBOOK?

Yes, you can download a FREE preview to The Business Transformation Playbook here.

8 Myths of Business Transformation Debunked

By Heath Gascoigne
November 25, 2022
Business Transformation, Design Process
Post Views: 1,621

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In this article, we will debunk the eight (8) biggest myths in business transformation.

If you want to transform your business or help your clients transform theirs and want to do it quicker, with less resistance, then this is for you.

Many organizations embark on business transformation journeys with misconceptions of what business transformation is, expecting too much from technology, mismanaging change, and failing to get the right leadership on board.

As a result, these organizations do not fully unlock the value they are seeking. Transforming your organization can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By dispelling some of the common myths associated with business transformation, you can set your organization up for success.

In order to ensure your business transformation is a success, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. With that in mind, let’s dispel some of the most common myths about business transformation.

Myth #1: Business Transformation Is Only About Technology

One of the most common myths is that business transformation is all about technology. While technology is a critical enabler of business transformation, it is not the only factor to consider. Technology should be viewed as an enabler that supports your organizational goals and objectives. A successful business transformation requires a holistic approach that takes into account people, process, and data – not just technology.

Myth #2: Business Transformation Is Expensive

Another myth is that business transformation is expensive and will require a large upfront investment. While it’s true that there may be some upfront costs associated with business transformation, such as new technology or consultants, the long-term benefits will far outweigh the costs.

There are a number of ways to cut costs during a transformation, such as by leveraging existing technology or using open-source solutions. Additionally, many companies find that the long-term savings generated by a successful transformation more than offset the initial investment.

When done correctly, business transformation can lead to increased efficiency, productivity, and profitability – all of which will offset the initial investment.

Myth #3: Business Transformation Requires A Complete Overhaul Of The Organization

Another common misconception is that business transformation requires a complete overhaul of the organization – this is simply not true. While it may be necessary to make some changes to existing processes and structures, a complete overhaul is not always necessary or even desired. Sometimes, making small changes in key areas can have a big impact on the overall organization. The key is to identify which areas need to be changed in order to achieve the desired results.

Focus helps you get to the end on time, within budget and scope with the help of the skill of the Business Tranformator.

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Myth #4: Business Transformation Is A One-Time Event

Business transformation is often thought of as a one-time event; however, this could not be further from the truth. Business transformation is an ongoing journey that requires continuous effort and commitment from all members of the organization. Once you have achieved your initial goals, it’s important to maintain momentum by continuously looking for ways to improve and optimize your processes and systems.

Just like any major change in life, implementing lasting change within an organization requires time, patience, and effort. Anyone embarking on a business transformation journey should go into it with eyes wide open and realistic expectations. By understanding some of the most common myths associated with business transformation, you can set your organization up for success.

Myth #5: Business Transformation Is Only for Big Companies

FACT: Any size company can benefit from business transformation. While it’s true that large enterprise companies tend to have more complex operations and thus may require more extensive transformations, even small businesses can reap the rewards of streamlining their processes and becoming more efficient. Indeed, many small businesses find that business transformation is essential to competing with larger enterprises.

Myth #6: Business Transformation Takes Years to Complete

FACT: While some business transformations can indeed take several years to finish, it is possible to complete a transformation in a shorter timeframe. The key is to have a clear understanding of your goals and priorities from the outset and to focus on those first. Once the major objectives have been met, you can then begin working on additional projects as time and resources allow.

Myth #7: Business Transformations Are Only for Laggards

FACT: Contrary to popular belief, business transformations are not just for laggards—i.e., companies that are behind the curve technologically or otherwise. In fact, even companies that are market leaders can benefit from transformation initiatives. For example, a company that is the market leader in its field may undertake a transformation in order to consolidate its position or expand into new markets.

Myth #8: Businesses Only Need to Transform Once

FACT: It’s not uncommon for businesses to undergo multiple transformation initiatives over time as they adapt to changing market conditions and strive to maintain a competitive edge. Additionally, as new technologies emerge and evolve, companies may find it necessary to periodically update their systems and processes in order to stay ahead of the curve. As such, business Transformation should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event..

Conclusion:

Embarking on a business transformation journey can be daunting task – but it doesn’t have to be if you go into it with eyes wide open and realistic expectations. By dispelling some of the most common myths associated with business transformation – such as thinking it’s only about technology or that it requires a complete overhaul of your organization – you can set your organization up for success. Technology should be viewed as an enabler that supports your organizational goals and objectives while recognizing that business transformations require continuous effort and commitment from all members of the organization if you want lasting change..]

Bust the myth more:

If you want to bust the myths yourself, learn more about the 6-Step Agile Business Transformation framework already used by thousands across the world to transform their business, including the UK Government, FTSE 100 Companies, and startups, check out here.

If you want to read why others are calling The Business Transformation Playbook, the “Business Transformation Bible” read the reviews on Amazon here or see its listing on The Business Strategy eBook List of All Time, click here.

Hope you find that useful. If you did, let me know in the comments below what you like and would like to see next, and share this with anyone you think would benefit from it!

Thank you for reading this!
Sincerely,

Heath Gascoigne

P.S. If you want to join our Business Transformator community of 2,000+ like-minded Business Transformators, join the community on the Business Transformator Facebook Group here.

P.P.S. If you want to learn more about business transformation, check out The Business Transformation Playbook here.

For more information, visit https://www.hoba.tech

Heath Gascoigne

Hi, I'm Heath, the founder of HOBA TECH and host of The Business Transformation Podcast. I help Business Transformation Consultants, Business Designers and Business Architects transform their and their clients' business and join the 30% club that succeed. Join me on this journey.

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