The Power of Digital Agility

A good friend has a tree in his garden that was heavily trimmed while he was away. Due to miscommunication, two-thirds of the tree was removed, which saddened my friend.

To his surprise, and much faster than expected, within a few months, the tree had regrown many branches, reaching high into the sky and was flourishing again.

Why did this happen, and what can we learn from this for our organizations that rely on digital systems?

The tree was able to regrow quickly because a substantial part of it is actually underground. The roots form an extensive network that supplies water and nutrients via the trunk to the branches and leaves. Despite losing two-thirds of its canopy, the root structure remained intact and continued to operate at full capacity. This meant that the remaining branches received a surplus of water and nutrients, promoting rapid regrowth.

This story provides an insightful metaphor for the world of information technology and digital systems. A significant and relevant part of the systems that organizations rely on for their daily operations is hidden from most people in the organization, often especially from leadership.

If your IT systems are in good shape — meaning your business is well-modeled with appropriate processes, and your software and data structures accurately reflect intended use and are maintained at high quality — then it is much easier to withstand unforeseen challenges. Conversely, if systems or the processes to deliver them are not in good shape, operations become burdensome, and change is cumbersome, making the organization less agile. In such situations, it does not take much competitive wind for a tree to fall over.

If you are concerned about the health of your organization’s digital root structure, it is important to take a holistic perspective. Focusing solely on processes often leads to identifying problems within those processes and proposing new ones as the solution, which can be a limited approach.

How can your digital ecosystem become simpler and more aligned with your needs? Don’t hesitate to reach out for a conversation about a balanced approach to governing digital transformation.