Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation

Learn practical methods for reducing technology overload and related employee burnout at your organization

In Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation: Leading a Mindful Redesign of the Digital Enterprise, veteran digital transformation consultant, Sara Teitelman, MPH, shares her proven process for improving the state of an organization’s enterprise technology in ways that boost employee happiness and productivity. Grounded in best practices from human-centered design, knowledge management, and change management, these methods will help organizations of all sizes assess the performance of their digital tools and develop a phased plan of action for decluttering their digital landscape and realizing the full value of their IT investments. Importantly, it is these same actions that will position organizations to make best use of the growing collection of highly sophisticated, AI-driven capabilities that will soon be part of every workplace.

Case studies and downloadable templates developed over hundreds of successful client projects are included to help readers immediately put the concepts presented to work. In this book, readers will learn how to:

• Assess the current state of their enterprise technology and uncover the ways that it is hindering productivity and employee satisfaction
• Quantify and reduce IT spend on recurring software subscriptions
• Address IT system overlap and duplication to streamline business processes and reduce user confusion
• Provide employees with clear guidelines and training on use of their enterprise digital tools
• Involve people from across the organization in technology decision-making to reduce inter-departmental friction and uncover synergies

The antidote to an issue plaguing nearly every modern enterprise, Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation is an essential guide for all business leaders, executives, and managers seeking to tame their enterprise IT landscape and pave the way to higher employee satisfaction and a healthier bottom line.

Prologue: My First Computer xi

Preface xv

Part I Preparing for the Journey 1

Chapter 1 Applying Zen Concepts to the Digital Enterprise 3

Employees are Feeling Frustrated and Disengaged Due to the Overwhelming Number and Complexity of Digital Tools they Interact with Day to Day 4

Resistance to Change in the Workplace is Generally seen as Something to be Overcome, not Understood 6

Chapter 2 (Re)Defining Digital Transformation 9

Three Key Elements of Digital Transformation 10

Purposeful 10

Human-Centered 10

Responsive and Resilient 10

The Ideal Versus Real Digital Workplace 11

Chapter 3 Leading Differently 17

Practicing Human-Centeredness 21

Core Concepts of Human-Centered Design 22

Applying Design Thinking to the Digital Workplace 24

Chapter 4 Preparing the Way 29

Linking to Organizational Strategy 29

Identifying Key Stakeholders 30

Forming the Project Team 34

Core Project Team 34

Assembling a Steering Group 40

Recruiting Champions 44

Assessing Change Readiness 47

Change Readiness Assessment 47

Part II Designing the Ideal Digital Workplace 55

Chapter 5 Looking 57

Building an IT Systems Inventory and Map 60

Making Sense of the Digital Workplace 62

Communication 64

Content and Collaboration 65

Data Analysis and Management 67

Security 70

Creating a Visual Systems Map 73

Chapter 6 Listening 79

Who to Include 81

Discovery Methods 82

Method: Focus Group 82

Method: One-on-One Interviews 84

Method: Surveys 84

Stay Mindful of Your Mindset 86

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research and Analysis 88

Getting Ready for Discovery Data Collection 91

Prepare the Discussion Guide 96

Sample Interview or Focus Group Discussion Guide 96

Discussion Questions 97

Closing Talking Points 98

Chapter 7 Envisioning 101

The Future-State Workshop 102

Selecting Workshop Participants 104

Planning the Workshop 105

Presenting the Vision 107

Part III Achieving the Ideal Digital Workplace 113

Chapter 8 The Art of Digital Decluttering 115

The Basic Rules of (Digital) Tidying 116

Sara’s Rules for Digital Tidying 116

Chapter 9 Selecting Timing and Tactics 121

Digital Transformation Readiness Assessment 123

Developing the Digital Transformation Roadmap 124

Guide to Building the Digital Transformation Roadmap 126

Chapter 10 Building the Future 131

Define User Stories and Requirements 132

Selecting the Right Technology 135

Selecting the Right Partner 136

Launching the Implementation Process 140

Managing the Implementation Process 140

Designing a Great User Experience 143

Chapter 11 Introducing Change 147

Communicating About Change 149

Preparing for Launch 156

Chapter 12 Stewarding the Digital Workplace 161

Governance Considerations 162

Governance Approaches 164

Strategic Decision-Making 164

Risk Management 164

Continuous Improvement 165

Chapter 13 Measuring and Improving 175

Epilogue: Keeping Technology Human 185

Appendix A: Digital Workplace Maturity Assessment 187

Appendix B: Sample Annual State of the Digital Workplace Survey 201

Notes 205

Acknowledgments 207

About the Author 209

Index 211

SARA TEITELMAN, MPH, is CEO of the digital transformation firm, Ideal State, which she co-founded in 2016. She began her career as a public health professional before shifting her focus to the digital health of the organizations where she worked, which included the Gates Foundation and international NGO Pact.Br />More than 15 years and hundreds of client projects later, Sara’s unique blend of human-centered design, knowledge management, and change management has helped organizations of all sizes transform their digital landscape in ways that boost employee engagement and organizational efficiency.
She has been a featured speaker at industry conferences including KMWorld, APQC, NTEN, and Digital Workplace Experience and holds a master of public health degree from the University of Washington.
Sara lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband, Jeremy, and young daughter, Abigail.

Hyperbolic marketing and incentivized viral adoption of enterprise software has led to out-of-control software subscription costs, confusing IT landscapes, and frustrated employees. Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation: Leading a Mindful Redesign of the Digital Enterprise is an antidote to the digital chaos that companies are now experiencing. A thoroughly practical guide for business leaders from in and outside of IT, these methods will help organizations of all sizes put a stop to ballooning expenses and realize the full value of their IT investments while positioning their organizations to think and act about technology on the road ahead.

Readers will gain access to veteran digital transformation consultant Sara Teitelman’s proven process for digital decluttering, which spans from envisioning the ideal future state of your digital workplace and the culture it supports, to categorizing and eliminating tools, to redesigning the tech that remains to ensure a seamless and secure digital employee experience. Case studies and downloadable tools developed over the course of hundreds of successful client projects enable readers to start applying these concepts to their organizations as soon as today.

Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation is a timely, essential read for business leaders seeking to streamline their enterprise technology in ways that benefit both their employees and the bottom line.

PRAISE FOR ZEN AND THE ART OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

“Sara Teitelman’s Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation will enable business leaders to achieve their full potential with digital transformation by cultivating a mindful approach to digital maturity. This is a must-read book that applies a human centric approach to doing more with less.”
—R “RAY” WANG, CEO of Constellation Research, Inc., Co-Host of DisrupTV, Bestselling Author

“This transformative guide is a must-read for anyone seeking to harmonize technology and humanity in the workplace. Sara Teitelman offers a refreshing perspective and practical advice on how forward-thinking organizations can create a more innovative and fulfilling work environment.”
—AMANDA WIND O’DONNELL, Director of Organizational Excellence at Break Through Tech

“If your company is bogged down by a proliferation of duplicative tech, use Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation to discover where your organization can streamline and take back your digital advantage. Teitelman’s book is an essential how-to manual in decluttering the disheveled closet of your digital workplace, Marie Kondo-style.”
—NATHAN FISHER, Director, Internal Communication, Databricks, Tesla and Google

“Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation is your roadmap to success. If you invest the time to read and follow this book’s strategies, you will save time, have happier employees, and create off-the-charts positive levels of dialogue and confidence building with stakeholders, executives, and the board.”
—ROSS COMSTOCK, Innovator and Tech Leader, former VP, Information Systems and Technology at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation