A clear vision and action plan are crucial for a successful digital transformation. Learn how to identify and streamline the needs of the value chain.
Within the Digitala Stambanan project, we have focused on value chains rather than individual companies. By identifying everyday needs and opportunities among the project’s participants, we have laid the foundation for how digitalization can strengthen collaboration and streamline processes across the entire value chain.
Create a clear vision for the future
To fully capitalize on digitalization’s potential, we recommend that companies start by formulating a clear vision. This vision should span 3–5 years into the future and include how digitalization can improve internal processes and interactions with customers and suppliers. Furthermore, it’s essential to consider how digitalization and AI can contribute to increased sustainability.
Identify needs and opportunities within the business
A vision statement is a guiding light for your company’s future position and will be essential as you explore digital technology opportunities. By starting with current needs, such as bottlenecks or time-consuming tasks, you can more easily identify areas where digitalization would make the most significant impact. One question to ask is whether access to specific information or technology could open up a different way of working that improves the next step in the process.
Workshop kit to broaden perspectives
To support companies on this journey, we have developed a workshop kit within the project. This tool helps companies look beyond their immediate scope and think more broadly than they might otherwise. The goal is to identify opportunities and challenges that digitalization may bring, thereby creating a stronger foundation for successful transformation processes.
Bridging the gap between industry and technology
A common challenge for many industrial companies is being aware of the possibilities of digital technology. In contrast, technology providers may need to understand the industry’s needs fully. The Digitala Stambanan project addresses this gap by bringing stakeholders from both sides together to foster mutual understanding and collaboration.
Tackle challenges early in the process
Identifying challenges early in the transformation journey makes it easier to address them – and sometimes, these challenges can even be turned into opportunities. Our workshop methodology presents common challenges the industry faces, which can be analyzed during the workshop. By mapping how these challenges manifest within the company, strategies can be developed to address or eliminate them.
Prioritize and create an action plan
Once companies have identified their vision, opportunities, and challenges, they prioritize and create an action plan. We recommend starting with initiatives that are easy to implement and deliver significant results. This helps establish early acceptance and a positive view of the change within the organization.
Shared priorities within the value chains
As previously mentioned, the project did not involve working with individual companies but instead focused on the entire value chain, selecting shared priorities. The results of this work will be presented in the following article.
After several years of successful collaboration, we look forward to sharing this knowledge. During the fall, we will publish articles highlighting the challenges of digitalization in the industry, how we see that companies can address and benefit from technological development, and what we have achieved through the project. We will also emphasize the strength of this innovation collaboration and share participants’ experiences and insights.
We hope these articles will inspire more companies to embrace the opportunities of digitalization and understand the importance of collaboration for a future competitive Swedish industry.
Keep an eye out for upcoming articles on our website!