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.

Fractional Consulting Business Transformation Guide

By Web Master
April 24, 2025
Business Transformation, Design Process
Post Views: 0

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Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations face the challenge of adapting swiftly to change while maintaining operational efficiency. Fractional consulting emerges as a strategic solution, offering specialized expertise on a part-time basis to drive business transformation without the commitment of full-time hires.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What You’ll Learn in This Article:

Let’s break it down, step by step.👇

What is Fractional Consulting in Business Transformation?

Fractional consulting involves engaging experienced professionals to lead or support specific business initiatives on a part-time or project basis. These consultants bring deep expertise in areas such as strategy, operations, technology, and change management, providing organizations with the agility to navigate transformation effectively.

Don't have the time? Want to read this later? No problem, download our guide and read it later!

When to Consider a Fractional Consultant:

1.Strategic Initiatives:

When embarking on significant changes like digital transformation, market expansion, or organizational restructuring.

👏 “Fractional consulting is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic advantage. In times of uncertainty, organizations need flexibility, not fixed costs. That’s exactly what we deliver: expertise on demand, without the long-term overhead.” 🚀🧳 #AgileTransformation #BusinessTransformators #HOBA

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

2. Resource Constraints:

If the organization lacks in-house expertise or cannot justify a full-time executive hire.

3. Interim Leadership:

During transitions or vacancies in key leadership positions.

Special Projects: For targeted projects requiring specialized skills or knowledge.

Benefits Over Traditional Consulting Models:

Cost-Effectiveness: Access to senior-level expertise without the overhead of full-time employment.
Flexibility: Engagements tailored to specific needs and timelines.
Speed: Rapid deployment and execution of initiatives.
Focused Expertise: Consultants with specialized skills aligned to project requirements

Who Benefits Most from Fractional Consulting:

Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Seeking growth without the burden of full-time executive costs.
Startups: Needing strategic guidance during critical growth phases.
Organizations Undergoing Change: Requiring expertise to navigate transitions smoothly

Ready to accelerate your business transformation? Explore how HOBA Tech’s fractional consulting services can provide the expertise and flexibility your organization needs. Contact us today to learn more.

👏 “We don’t just come in, run workshops, and leave behind a pretty PowerPoint. Our consultants roll up their sleeves and help you deliver results—while building your internal capability to keep delivering without us.” 🚀🧳 #AgileTransformation #BusinessTransformators #HOBA

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

Typical Engagement Structure:

Assessment: Understanding organizational needs and defining objectives.
Planning: Developing a tailored strategy and roadmap.
Execution: Implementing initiatives with hands-on support.
Transition: Ensuring knowledge transfer and sustainability post-engagement.

Tips for Efficient Engagement:

Clear Objectives: Define specific goals and outcomes from the outset.
Stakeholder Alignment: Ensure buy-in from key stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation.
Regular Communication: Maintain open lines of communication for feedback and adjustments.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

Undefined Scope: Ambiguity in project scope can lead to misaligned expectations.
Lack of Internal Support: Without internal champions, initiatives may face resistance.
Inadequate Transition Planning: Failing to plan for post-engagement sustainability can undermine long-term success.

Conclusion

Fractional consulting offers a pragmatic approach to business transformation, providing organizations with the expertise needed to navigate change effectively. By leveraging specialized skills on a flexible basis, businesses can achieve strategic objectives while maintaining operational efficiency.

Call to Action:

Ready to accelerate your business transformation? Explore how HOBA Tech’s fractional consulting services can provide the expertise and flexibility your organisation needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Looking for the Best Training to deliver your Business Transformation? Search no more!

👏 “The HOBA framework gives our clients structure, clarity, and alignment—fast. Whether we’re in for a sprint or a quarter, the goal is always the same: unlock value, reduce waste, and create transformations that stick. 💡 #HOBAFramework #AgileTransformation #BusinessSuccess

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

About HOBA Tech

If this resonated with you, discover how to make Business Transformation a reality—with less stress, fewer resources, and faster results. Explore our award-winning agile Business Transformation Framework, trusted by organizations worldwide, from the UK Government and FTSE-100 companies to innovative start-ups. Ready to begin your transformation journey? Start here.

Curious why The Business Transformation Playbook is hailed as the “Business Transformation Bible”? See what readers are saying in the Amazon reviews.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Let us know in the comments what stood out to you or what topics you’d like us to cover next. If you found this valuable, share it with others who could benefit!

Thank you for reading, and here’s to your transformation success!

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.

Web Master

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