When organizations finally decide to modernize their digital ecosystem, there's usually a sense of excitement. And there should be!
After months (sometimes years) of discussion, budgets have been approved, stakeholders are aligned, and the organization is preparing to invest in technology that promises to transform the way it operates.
The demos are compelling. The capabilities are impressive. The possibilities feel endless. And this is exactly why one of the most important conversations to be had often gets overlooked.
There's an assumption that comes up in most digital modernization discussions: Once the new platform is live, we'll finally move faster.
We'll create content so much faster. We'll launch campaigns faster. We'll be able to expand into new channels faster.
These expectations are reasonable and modern platforms absolutely make those outcomes possible. But they don't make them inevitable.
Technology changes what's possible.
People—and the operating models they work within—determine what actually changes.
Imagine implementing a modern CMS or commerce platform. The software is faster, the authoring experience is better, content can be reused across channels, and AI accelerates creation.
But, approvals still require five people, marketing still waits on product information, creative still hunts for the latest assets, and teams still coordinate work through emails and meetings.
Has the technology improved? Absolutely. Has the organization become dramatically faster? Not necessarily.
The bottlenecks simply moved into a newer platform.
One of the most valuable parts of any modernization initiative happens long before implementation begins.
It's asking questions like:
These deceptively simple questions force organizations to think beyond the technology itself so they can begin designing an operating model that will allow them to get the most out of their investment.
Modernization is about more than better software
The organizations that realize the greatest return from modernization efforts are redesigning how work happens when they implement new technology, in the places it matters most. Sometimes this means making minor tweaks to the process here and there. Sometimes it means overhauling workflows. The important factor is the willingness to change.
Technology unlocks new capabilities, while organizations unlock the value of those capabilities by changing the way people work together.
This article is the first in our new video series with Optimizely exploring the conversations executive teams should be having before modernizing their digital ecosystem.
In Episode 1, we discuss why technology changes what's possible—but people determine what actually changes.
Watch the full conversation here