Foreword

Anita Cassidy

Partner at ITDirections (www.itdirections.com) and author of five books, including A Practical Guide to Information Systems Strategic Planning.

Why is this book important? It’s because today, technology is at the core of all businesses. It is difficult to find a business strategy or business process that does not depend on technology for its success. In fact, for differentiating, innovating, or disrupting organizations, the business and the technology are typically inseparable. Just look at companies such as Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, Houzz, Netflix, Zipcar, Tesla, Instacart, Salesforce, Facebook, Google, or Apple; it is difficult to see the business and the technology as separate entities. The business is the technology, and the technology is the business.

For decades, IT practitioners have hammered on the idea that the business and IT need to be aligned. In today’s world, with technology and the business essentially being one, alignment isn’t enough anymore. As Bob and Dave point out, IT can’t just be aligned with the business—it has to be integrated into it. Which is why many are coming to see that there is no such thing as an IT project. They’re business-change projects that are using technology as an enabler.

Digital transformation is the current discussion and hype in the industry. What is Digital transformation? It is nothing more than business change, effectively using technology throughout all aspects and touchpoints of the business.

This book is important because it’s about change. Companies in all industries and of all sizes must continually change to be relevant and successful. Change must happen quickly, intentionally, and flawlessly. Yet, change of any kind is difficult. Whether you are talking about changing a culture, a business, a business process, a toolset, a skill, a personal habit, or a mind-set, change is tough. There is no surefire solution or recipe for change.

This book provides excellent thoughts and advice for navigating a course of change in your organization. Change in every organization and every project is different. What may be successful in one organization or project could be disastrous in another. This book provides many creative ideas and suggestions for business change.

Bob and Dave have a unique and entertaining writing style. Not only is their writing enjoyable, but they make you think. They make you question the obvious and the not so obvious. They provide original, concrete, and pragmatic suggestions and advice that you can put to immediate use. At the beginning of each chapter, they provide a real-life story, or interlude, to help make the material relevant. At the end of each chapter, they provide a succinct summary of the key points, titled “If You Remember Nothing Else,” and make it actionable with a section titled “What You Can Do Right Now.” Whether your job function is in the business or IT, I think you will find thought-provoking value and useful advice in this book that will help you navigate your unique path of, as Bob and Dave call it, intentional business change.