Using an informal and playful approach to defining level of effort, impact, or priority is helpful when operating on teams that deliver incremental changes on a regular basis.

A common mistake that occurs in digital transformation initiatives is conflating the roles of the consultant and systems implementer (SI). Some ecosystems curated by platform vendors actively create this confusion for their customers by applying the label “consultant” to what is actually an SI.

Microsoft and Salesforce both have used marketing to label AI as a copilot, although this is not the appropriate metaphor from aviation. As a pilot with over 600 hours in the cockpit, AI is an autopilot, not a copilot.

Yesterday, I led all-day workshop for a consulting firm based in New York City with a focus on establishing a foundation around the core domains of AI followed by a hands-on training to apply generative AI to use cases for their client base.

Finding the nearest and most suitable exit isn’t just for flying on planes and going to the cinema. Knowing how to exit systems is equally as important.

Generative AI has been and will continue to be a hot topic, yet it’s only one domain of artificial intelligence that your organization can be leveraging to improve business processes. If you’re dipping your toe into the waters of AI, you can approach it serially or in parallel.

There are many frameworks for prioritizing, although MSCW stands out as being easily understood by functional and technical stakeholders with its unambiguous definitions.

Data analytics platforms and “data clouds” have become more accessible as technology platforms mature and costs to acquire and maintain are historically lower than ever. Yet, organizations still take a cautious approach to implementing a data warehouse and/or standalone analytics platform.

Let’s take a look at how the 5Ws framework gets applied to an example business case. If you haven’t taken a look at that example business case, pop over there first before continuing to read.

Now that we’ve gone through all of the Ws in the 5Ws framework, let’s apply it to a sample business case for an organization embarking on a digital transformation and modernization program.

Let’s take a look at how to use the “why” of the 5Ws framework to define problems and gather requirements for a digital transformation initiative.

Let’s take a look at how to use the “when” of the 5Ws framework to define problems and gather requirements for a digital transformation initiative.

Let’s take a look at how to use the “where” of the 5Ws framework to define problems and gather requirements for a digital transformation initiative.

Let’s take a look at how to use the “what” of the 5Ws framework to define problems and gather requirements for a digital transformation initiative.

Let’s take a look at how to use the “who” of the 5Ws framework to define problems and gather requirements for a digital transformation initiative.

The same 5Ws that we learned in primary school is a helpful framework to use in digital transformation initiatives. When architecting business processes and systems, it is useful to learn about an environment and can make others question assumptions that have been made.

Authentication and authorization are two concepts that are often misinterpreted when designing and integrating systems. Fortunately, there are a couple of relatable metaphors to use in discussions.

Leveraging outdated systems and manual processes in the age of automation and AI increases costs to find and retain talent, plus reduces the productivity and competitive advantage relative to peers.

Before you take a bite or melt it for fondue, the iconic Emmental cheese can be sliced up and used to identify and mitigate gaps in your digital transformation initiatives.

Incorporating frameworks like SCQA is helpful to facilitate discussions and deliver presentations. It establishes context, gains alignment from participants, and identifies potential solutions.