Why This Book?
Everybody has an interpretation of digital business. And much like the blind men and the elephant, we tend to define digital from our perspectives—data enthusiasts will suggest that digital is all about data. Designers will argue that it is in fact about user experience and emotional connects. Technologists of all faiths will put forward their own flavor of digital technology—AI, sensors, or agile development. There are no shortages of catchy acronyms either. SMAC (social, mobile, analytics, cloud) was a very commonly used phrase. Yet, SMAC represents as partial a view as any of the others. I felt that a more complete definition was required, which would embrace all aspects of digital, and yet be short enough to suffice as a definition rather than a description. That was the starting point of my thinking about this book. This led to the creation of a conceptual framework, which hangs off the definition, which I hope will be truly useful for people to deal with the multifaceted nature of digital evolution.
But while a conceptual framework is useful for understanding digital, it may not be as apt in helping people actually do digital projects. We need a simple execution framework to follow from the conceptual one, which can be used while thinking of doing a digital project. This is the connect, quantify, optimize framework, which the title refers to, and what the book drives toward. I hope that the book will therefore help readers to both understand and deliver digital projects, change and transformation in the smallest to the largest projects.
Who Is This Book For?
The book is aimed at the business user. It does not assume any prior knowledge of technology, software development, or familiarity with any technical jargon. However, it does assume that the reader is engaged in commercial activity already and is exposed to the Web, mobile apps, and has experienced the need to understand digital, whether as a part of a large organization or as an entrepreneur or even a freelancer. No part of this book tries to explain business concepts. It assumes a basic appreciation of the needs of any business, such as competitive strategy, marketing, cost control, and business processes.
While writing the book, I also read and referred to a number of excellent books that are aimed at business leaders and address the challenge of digital strategy. This book is aimed at people who may or may not be in charge of the overall direction and strategy of their businesses. You may be a CEO but you may also be a middle manager or even a junior employee. The point at which a new technology grows exponentially is not when it’s invented, but when it undergoes mass adoption. This is true for cars, computers, and mobile phones. Similarly, for a concept such as digital to really take root and grow, we need understanding and adoption by the whole business population, rather than just by business leaders and technologists. In short, this book will not talk about reshaping the directions for your business, but rather will arm you with the understanding to embark on your own digital journey—whether you want to build a mobile app or an ecommerce website, or are trying to digitize the way your department works.
Reading the Book
This is not a textbook. It doesn’t follow the structure and format of one, it doesn’t set out learning objectives and follow a curriculum. Typical textbooks also often abdicate the responsibility of holding your attention. While there are plenty of conceptual and technical areas to talk through, if on the whole you find the book boring, I would have failed. At the risk of not going deep enough in certain areas, I’ve tried to pace the book so that it isn’t a daunting read.
You are invited to read the book end to end or jump into any section directly. I believe that areas such as AI, networks, and blockchain are some of the areas that are the most forward thinking in this book. But the first section on connect is fundamental.
The book takes on a lot of territory as every part of digital is morphing and evolving as we speak. One of the biggest challenges has been to keep the whole book relevant as new events bubble up every week that affect a specific part of the framework. It would be fair to say that every chapter in this book deserves to be a book on its own. So, please treat each chapter as a starting point for further reading for yourself. Feel free to use it as a jumping-off point to then go deeper, do your own research, and flesh out your own model.
A Book, or a Discussion?
In my head, this book, and perhaps every book, is a discussion between the author and the reader. We often have to imagine that conversation, or perhaps every conversation doesn’t get completed because of the distance between the writer and the reader. We can address that. Talk to me via twitter (@vedsen/[email protected]) and tell me what you thought. What did you disagree with? What made you nod vigorously? What did you love? Hate? Which parts put you to sleep? What examples do you have that support or challenge what you read here? In the digital world, books should be living documents, and I see this as an ongoing version 2.0 that I’d like to improve with your help and ideas. Talk to me.