Digital Transformation: Leading your organization to success

The world continues to be driven digitally, and more organizations are moving in this direction, too. This digital transformation allows businesses and organizations to leverage digital technologies that fundamentally change their operations, culture, and customer experiences. It involves integrating digital tools and innovations to improve efficiency, deliver more value, and adapt to evolving market demands. 

“At its core, it’s taking things that were analog and making them digital. That opens an entire array of opportunities to an organization that wouldn't have been available previously,” said Tom Hunsaker, clinical professor of strategic leadership at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Hunsaker shared his thoughts ahead of the start of Thunderbird Executive Education's Digital Transformation program, which is designed for professionals who want to thrive in a digitally driven future.

Digital transformation is change

Hunsaker noted that digital transformation produces change in an organization, but that change needs to be focused properly. He said not all change is equal and not all digital transformations are the same.

“It's really important to understand there's different forms that digital transformation can take and different types of change that it powers,” he said. “If we're going to have a successful transformation, we need to make sure that we're determining the right kind of change.

“People in charge of change need to make sure that they're applying the right kinds of resources and the right kinds of strategies to make that particular change happen.”

That’s the type of insight that’s part of Thunderbird’s Digital Transformation program. 

This course is designed for professionals ready to equip themselves with the expertise to thrive in a digitally-driven future and lead their organizations to success.

Topics covered in the Digital Transformation program

Thunderbird Executive Education’s Digital Transformation program helps leaders identify game-changing innovations, design winning strategies, implement them for maximum impact, and learn how to spot hidden opportunities, craft winning roadmaps, and drive successful adoption.

Small-group discussions and interactive sessions cover such areas as technology strategy and operations, data and enterprise architecture for enterprise leadership, successful deployment of customer-facing technology, supply chain systems, cybersecurity and risk, and cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, internet of things, blockchain, and bioinformatics to solve real-world problems. 

Hunsaker said these topics help drive the key points of the program:

• Determining the type of change needed
• Resourcing for that transformation
• Developing strategies for the transformation
• Examining strategies to achieve success

Hunsaker said the program has been designed to be very practical and hands-on.

“Each participant will not only learn about digital transformation but will emerge with a transformation idea that they can take forward,” he said.

‘We all know it's super easy to come up with problems or throw solutions against the wall. What we really need are people who can connect the dots. This is the challenge.”

Hunsaker envisions that those who complete this program will then go forward to take on the difficult task of digital transformation.

“They’ll say, ‘I know this stuff, put me in charge of something. And here's a specific example or specific idea that I worked through, and I would love to be able to talk to you about it.’” he said. 

“At a minimum, this will equip leaders to draw up a game plan, and do so in a polished, refined way that will get more attention.”

Key benefits of Thunderbird’s Digital Transformation executive education program 

Hunsaker said the goal of the program is to demystify digital transformation.

“It unfolds in three steps,” he said. “One, we get to the nuts and bolts of what digital transformation actually is. Two, we really get to understand that choosing the type of transformation has huge implications for its success. And three, we’ll be able to personalize it and come away with a game plan for a transformation that they would want to see implemented.”

Thunderbird notes that the key benefits of the course are to:

• Craft data-driven strategies and infrastructure to navigate digital transformation complexities, optimize processes, and unlock new revenue potential.
• Champion engaging digital experiences, drive user adoption, and implement risk management frameworks to maximize customer value and mitigate cyber threats.
• Apply cutting-edge technologies like AI, IoT, blockchain, and bioinformatics to solve real-world challenges.
• Implement digital tools and optimize supply chain systems to drive internal operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and streamline logistics.
• Make strategic technology investments aligned with organizational goals, cultivating cross-organizational collaboration for successful implementation.

Who should pursue a Digital Transformation certificate

Thunderbird lists many different types of professionals who could be helped by the program:

• Chief innovation officers, chief digital officers, and digital strategy leads
• Product managers, service designers, and user experience (UX) professionals
• Business transformation consultants and change management experts
• Marketing and sales leaders
• Operations and supply chain managers
• Finance and accounting professionals
• Policymakers and government officials
• Regulatory and compliance professionals 
• Executive directors and leadership teams

Hunsaker noted that he has seen specific types of professionals enrolled in the program.

“For example, we're looking at people who are newly placed with a leadership role and are trying to manage a transformation,” he said. “We also see people who are being groomed for that next level.”

He said team members with customer-facing roles are enrolling, from sales to marketing to finance.

“The people on the finance and the controller side of things are being pitched by these transformations, and they would really love to better understand what's actually involved,” Hunsaker said. “That way, they can make more informed investment decisions.”

Taking the next step with digital transformation

The Digital Transformation program, powered by Thunderbird Executive Education, Executive Education, equips professionals with the expertise they need to thrive in a digitally driven future. They’ll be ready with ideas and methods to drive success. This program will take place at Thunderbird's Global Headquarters in Phoenix on October 17-18, 2024, and is offered both in person and online.

“People who come up with great ideas and can get buy-in for those ideas are the ones who tend to make waves within organizations,” Hunsaker said. “Ultimately, that's what somebody should aspire to, and that’s what they’ll emerge with from this program."