Where to Start?
The Playbook
We'd love to tell you that we have the perfect playbook that will show you how to win the "digital game". Playbooks don't win games. What works is a bunch of people who are on the same page who can focus on a project they care about and they are working on something that matters to a group of people. What results in success is the collective action and collective intelligence of the group. What follows are some activities that must happen in a certain sequence for good things to happen at project at level.
The Project
Decide on a “digital project” to work on
Projects come with goals which brings focus. There is a beginning and an end. If there is a proper alignment with the management team, the legacy baggage is not carried over to the digital project. This “work zone” needs a different management model and resource allocation rules.
The Team
Form a “Digital Ops Team” whose focus is this new work zone
This must include the "deciders" who understand the urgency, the "facilitators" who have experience and the "experts" who will have the functional, design and coding skills Our advice to the management team is to give this team some breathing room. Allow them to learn, experiment and fail.
The Strategy
Come up with a clear and focused digital strategy
Piling “digital” on top of legacy won’t work. Get clarity and focus your efforts. Ideally, the the team should be given a short time to come up with something concrete and simple. Of course, all this depends on the task at hand but the core strategy is to keep things super simple and practical.
The Tech Stack
Allow the Team to pick the Tech Stacks
Curb the urge to intervene. Trust that people you have chosen will make the right bets on your behalf. Companies are being flooded with technologies. The more you buy the more compilated things can become.
The Influence
Allow a “Circle of Influence” to emerge
Know that you must allow this new work zone to be open and participatory. Allow the team to create their own "circle of influence". Too much top down control will derail this team.
The Playbook
Let the team come up with a playbook and the rulebook
This team needs to be able to act and react quickly. Try to curb the urge to intervene prematurely. Let them design plays and make rules.
The Accountability
Establish a pattern of communication and Reporting
Try not to use misguided patterns of managing using top down approaches. Create an environment where expedition team members love coming to your meetings and brag about what they are doing.
The Traction
Ask the team what “effort”, “effectiveness” and “results" metrics they are tracking and why
Let the team come up with and self report key “effort”, “effectiveness” and “results” metrics. When right strategy is fueled by right effort, effectiveness and results are easier to see and measure.
The New Game
Learn, apply and practice routines that bring better results
You should not outsource activities that are strategic and key to your survival. Digital agency model creates dependencies that bring risk with them. Your future depends on learning, applying and practicing new digital plays.
The Future
Re-imagine the future of work and future at work
This is the stage where you will get more clarity where you will know where to invest and who to invest in.
