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.

How AI is Transforming Business Transformation: Trends, Insights, and Applications

By Heath Gascoigne
March 6, 2025
Agile Transformation, AI Transformation, Business Transformation
Post Views: 484

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AI is no longer just a buzzword; it has become an indispensable part of modern business transformation. From automating workflows to creating intelligent solutions that drive innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping leaders rethink how transformation projects are executed and how businesses operate in their target state.

In this blog, we explore the role of AI—including Generative AI (GenAI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Intelligent Automation—in accelerating transformation. You’ll learn how to leverage AI within HOBA’s business-led approach and integrate AI solutions as part of your Target Operating Model (TOM). We’ll also look at real-world examples of AI in industries like healthcare, government, and finance.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of how AI can enhance both the delivery of your transformation projects and the design of your future business operating model using the HOBA framework.

Let’s dive in!

AI and Business Transformation: An Introduction

AI is transforming transformation projects in two critical ways:

Running the Project: Enhancing speed, accuracy, and alignment when planning and executing transformation projects.
Within the Target Operating Model (TOM): Proposing AI as a solution to deliver business value once the business-led product is defined.

HOBA’s business-led framework ensures that AI solutions are explored and validated only when they align with the needs and priorities of the business.

🚀 Unlock the Power of AI in Business Transformation

👏 "AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a transformation accelerator. Use it to redesign, not just automate. The future of business transformation is AI-driven. 🚀 #BusinessTransformation #AI #DigitalTransformation

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

The AI Landscape: Understanding AI, GenAI, RPA, APA, and Intelligent Automation

AI comes in many forms, each serving a distinct purpose. The overlap and interdependence between these technologies create a comprehensive toolkit for businesses:

Description: The Venn Diagram highlights the relationship between AI, Generative AI (GenAI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Agentic Process Automation (APA), and Intelligent Automation.

AI: The overarching field of machine intelligence.
GenAI: AI that generates new content (text, images, code).
RPA: Automates repetitive, rule-based tasks.
APA: A step beyond RPA; it uses decision-making and learning capabilities to automate processes intelligently.
Intelligent Automation: Combines AI and automation for end-to-end process optimization.

👏 "The difference between success & failure in transformation? Business-led AI. Get the strategy right first, then apply AI where it delivers real value." 🎯 #Agile #AIforBusiness #TransformationLeadership

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

AI in Running Your Business Transformation Project

AI is transforming how transformation projects are executed. HOBA’s agile business transformation framework, combined with AI tools, enables:

Enhanced Decision-Making

GenAI for Strategy Alignment: AI tools analyze historical transformation data to help validate strategies, objectives, and measures (VSOM).
Example: ChatGPT and similar GenAI tools can quickly refine draft plans or models for stakeholder feedback.

Automation of Business Analysis

AI automates requirements gathering, impact assessments, and gap analysis.
Example: RPA and APA tools streamline data collection across systems to identify critical issues.

Improved Stakeholder Engagement

AI can simulate scenarios to help stakeholders understand the implications of transformation decisions.
Example: AI-powered dashboards visualize TOM scenarios in real-time for better collaboration.

AI in the Target Operating Model (TOM)

When designing your Target Operating Model (TOM) using HOBA, AI can be identified as a possible solution to address specific business needs.

Where AI Can Be Applied in the TOM:

Customer Experience: AI chatbots and virtual assistants streamline customer support.
Operations: Intelligent Automation reduces manual, time-intensive processes.
Finance: AI-powered analytics forecast budgets and manage risk in financial services.
Supply Chain: AI predicts disruptions and optimizes logistics in manufacturing.
HR and Talent: AI tools enable personalized employee training and skill development.

👏 “AI won’t fix broken transformation projects—but the right strategy will. Align AI with business needs first, then watch the magic happen. ✨ #AI #BusinessTransformation #AgileLeadership

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

Examples of AI in Action: Industry Applications

Here are practical examples of AI transforming industries:

Healthcare

AI-powered Diagnostics: GenAI analyzes medical images to detect early signs of illness.
Automation: RPA reduces admin work in claims processing and appointment scheduling.

Government

Intelligent Automation: Speeds up citizen service delivery and document verification.
APA: Ensures compliance and regulatory reporting.

Banking and Financial Services

AI Analytics: Fraud detection and risk assessment for banking operations.
GenAI: Personalized financial advisory tools for customers.

Manufacturing

Predictive Maintenance: AI predicts machinery failures to reduce downtime.
Supply Chain Optimization: AI-powered logistics forecasting optimizes inventory.

Call to Action: Download the eBook & Join the Micro-Course Waitlist

AI is reshaping the way businesses transform. Whether you’re looking to integrate AI into delivering transformation projects or designing the future Target Operating Model (TOM), now is the time to take action.

Start implementing the insights shared in this article and take your business transformation expertise to the next level.

✅ Download our FREE eBook: “AI for Business Architects” – Gain practical insights into applying AI to transformation projects and designing TOMs.
✅ Join the Micro-Course Waitlist – Learn how to leverage AI with the HOBA framework and become a certified transformation architect.

👏 “AI in transformation isn’t about replacing people; it’s about enhancing decision-making and unlocking new possibilities. Lead with strategy, implement with AI" 💡 #AI #Innovation #FutureOfWork

Heath Gascoigne Tweet

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

About HOBA Tech

If you liked what you read, learn more about Business Transformation and how to bring it to reality with less stress, less effort, less time, less cost, and higher profit. Learn about our award-winning agile Business Transformation framework, already used by thousands across the world to transform their business, including the UK Government, FTSE-100 Companies and start-ups, start your business transformation journey here.

If you want to read why others are calling The Business Transformation Playbook the “Business Transformation Bible”, read the Amazon reviews 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.

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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