Digitalisation is the word on everyone’s lips at the moment. The ongoing pandemic has not made the topic any less relevant, considering how it has forced companies to restructure their business. In the past, digitalisation was seen as something that was strongly linked to a company’s IT department. Today, we speak more generally about digitalisation as something that affects all components of a business. However, digitalisation also remains a diffuse concept with many different definitions. Simply put, it can be described as a process whereby digital tools help businesses optimise and improve their activities.
External advisor
There is general uncertainty about how companies can best take the next step on their digitalisation journey. A digital transformation requires the entire organisation to come on board since digital change is, to a large extent, a question of changing the way that employees work. In my role as an external advisor, I tend to highlight the importance of defining what needs to be achieved. The next step is to develop a proposal for implementation, before developing a solution that is subsequently implemented within the business. The problem is that many companies start at the wrong end. First, they identify a cool app or a new business system which is then acquired at a high cost. In the absence of a solid insight analysis, companies tend to make decisions based on a fear of falling behind their competitors.
Avalon Innovation Model™
It is precisely the value of a thorough insight phase that we here at Avalon Innovation emphasise in the dialogue with our clients. The aim of the insight analysis is to achieve complete awareness of what the challenges are in order to be able to generate new and unique values. Both small and large digitalisation projects require problem analysis.
In order to ensure a standardised and clear insight phase, we have created an iterative and user-oriented model that we call the Avalon Innovation Model™. The purpose of the model is to transform assumptions into facts. By minimising risk and uncertainty in connection with decision-making, we create the right conditions for succeeding with our digitalisation strategy and maintaining a business perspective.
This does not necessarily equal major investment costs in the form of expensive technical tools. It could just as well be about making minor changes, such as introducing e-signatures or replacing physical training with e-learning.
Another strategic initiative could be to increase visibility, which creates an opportunity for gaining an insight into the distribution chain in real-time. Better visibility means better control.
External sounding board
One of the few positive impacts of COVID-19 is that more companies have realised that more parts of the business can and should be digitalised. The fact is that everything that CAN be digitalised WILL be digitalised. The healthcare industry has been severely tested by the ongoing pandemic. Healthcare digitalisation will, in the longer term, benefit personnel as well as patients and their family members. Avalon are proud of having developed a new IoT platform together with our client Tjeders that creates completely new opportunities for communicating and collecting data from care recipients. You can learn more about our collaboration here.
As a business developer, my primary task is to understand what the customer’s challenges are. The difficult thing is then to transform problems into potential solutions through dialogue. Many companies face similar challenges, which means that we can recycle ways of working and parts of previously successful project solutions.
Avalon has conducted several projects focusing on digitalisation together with its clients. These have concerned everything from e-learning, implementation of new technical tools, the creation of calculators and configurators, and so on.
The best thing about my job is that I have the opportunity to work with so many incredibly innovative colleagues and clients. If your company is facing challenges that need defining, Avalon is here to act as your sounding board and external partner. We live for innovation and jump at any chance to help come up with solutions! Please get in touch to set up a virtual meeting with me to discuss innovation, digitalisation or something else that you’re passionate about. I’m on LinkedIn and can also be reached by telephone: +46 (0)70 454 30 79
About the author:
Pelle Thorsen, Business Manager at Avalon Innovation