Digital Transformation Payday

CHAPTER 9Design/Strategy: The Vacuum in the Majority of Digital Transformations

Before we start to dive into the importance of strategy (aka the design element of our framework) for your digital transformation, let us revisit a story from our childhood days, from the brothers Grimm. It very nicely describes the gist of everything that follows in the remainder of this chapter.

The Hare and the Hedgehog

The hedgehog was still quite near his home and was just rounding the blackthorn shrub on his way to the turnip field, when he observed the hare, who was on his way to visit his cabbages. The hedgehog bade the hare a friendly good morning. But the hare, who was frightfully haughty, did not return the hedgehog's greeting. Instead, he said contemptuously, “How do you happen to be here in the field so early in the morning?”

“I am taking a walk,” said the hedgehog.

“A walk!” said the hare, with a mocking smile. “It seems to me that you might use your legs for a better purpose.” This answer made the hedgehog furiously angry. His legs worked quite fine for his purposes, but they were a bit short and crooked, a fact that made him feel slightly defensive. So the hedgehog replied, “You seem to imagine that you can do more with your legs than I with mine.”

“That is just what I do think,” said the hare.

“That can be put to the test,” said the hedgehog. “I'll bet that if we were to run a race, I would beat you.”

“That is ridiculous! You with your crooked, stubby legs!” said the hare, “But ...