Enterprises Mistakenly Conflate Approach To IT Modernization and Digital Transformation

 

Two important activities are happening today in IT. One is a requirement to modernize IT. The second is digital transformation. These are the types of initiatives happening now in all enterprises. Both are important. Both drive value. Both prepare IT to make a bigger impact on the business, and both lower costs. But their starting orientation differs, and their sequence of goals differs. Therefore, the approach to deal with each type of initiative is different. Unfortunately, companies are mistakenly conflating the approach to both types of initiatives.

It’s important that enterprises understand both types of initiatives. Here’s an overview of how they differ.

IT Modernization. Although it can be mandated by the CIO and CTO, middle management normally drives this type of initiative. It’s a bottom-up, left-to-right approach; that is, the objectives in order of importance are reducing the cost, increasing IT’s agility (speed and flexibility) and improving the impact on the business (creating business results). The idea behind IT modernization is that will allow IT to be more impactful and create better business results.

Learn more at my Forbes blog.