FEATURE : COMMUNICATION

Roland Carandang , Managing

Director and UK Technology Consulting Leader at Protiviti UK , discusses the importance of clear communication for successful Digital Transformation , shares strategies CIOs can use to ensure stakeholders grasp the goals and benefits , and highlights how technology tools can enhance communication and visibility throughout transformation projects .

Digital Transformation is essential for businesses looking to adapt and thrive in a modern economy in which businesses have optimised where they can on their workforce and infrastructure , where ‘ born digital ’ companies have raised expectations on user experience , and where technology providers have made this underlying capability across sectors .

Comprising numerous programmes and projects , Digital Transformation represents a fundamental shift in how a business interacts with its customers and operates internally . Given the cost and complexity of these initiatives , effective communication is a critical success factor .

Digital Transformation is more than just implementing new technologies ; it ’ s about reshaping an organisation to be more customer-centric , data-driven and adaptable . In today ’ s economic climate , it also involves rationalising technology costs and changing how technology is managed . Executive leadership , often including newly recruited digital leaders , need to be unified in their vision for this transformation . However , the task of delivering this transformation falls to the leadership team beneath them , and this is where effective communication becomes paramount .

What strategies can CIOs use to ensure stakeholders understand the goals and benefits ?

CIOs should ensure stakeholders are clear on the different types of communication . The first type of communication involves articulating the vision : what are we doing and why ? This needs to include both topline ( revenue growth and enabling business strategy ) and bottom-line ( cost reduction ) messaging . It ’ s crucial that everyone understands not just the destination but also the journey the organisation is embarking on .

This type of messaging should motivate employees and set an expectation for candour in both directions . As one of my clients recently said in a town hall : “ We are embarking on multiple , ‘ once in a career ’ projects . . . all at once . We know it won ’ t be easy but are grateful for the foundations we ’ ve built technologically and organisationally in the last year and are confident we can deliver on all of these . . . together .”

Supporting messaging should foster psychological safety for team members who you not only need to retain but also count on to be open when things are going wrong .

The second type of communication relates to how the individual components of the transformation contribute to the overall vision . For example , it may be clear that the company aims to become more customer-centric and data-driven , but it may be less apparent why reducing the legacy technology estate is part of that vision .

Similarly , the reasons behind a shift to agile ways of working and the introduction of new partners may not

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