Why digital transformation projects fail
After 20 years in the field, the problem is rarely the technology — it is where you choose to start.
Many organisations start transformation by choosing a system, then looking for work to put on it. That usually ends with a system nobody uses.
A better approach starts with the most painful process — the one the team complains about every month, the one that eats time without creating value. Fix that, and people see the benefit for themselves and welcome the next system.
Data preparation is the other commonly overlooked step. No system works well on incomplete or dirty data, so budget time for it in the plan rather than discovering it mid-project.
Finally, training and post-handover follow-up. Projects that end the day the system ships tend to drift back to the old way within months.