Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

Digital Transformation is the process of transforming a business from one state to another - from a state where businesses operate in Human time, to a state that operates in Digital time and finally to Future time.  Businesses today must digitally transform in order to compete in all three of these time continuums simultaneously.  Let’s first identify these different time continuums: Human time – time governed by our physical, biological and mental limitations as humans Digital time – time governed by computing, networking and data transmission speeds Future time – time governed by predictive analytics, algorithms and artificial intelligence Human time cannot compete with Digital time in a mobile and always connected world. Human time cannot deliver the real-time mobile and online commerce speeds that digital consumers require. For example, you can’t have a human responding to mobile search queries, or mobile payments, rather you need optimized information logistics systems

“You have a memory like an elephant,” is truly a compliment.  Researchers document all kinds of remarkable examples of the recall power of elephants, and this is credited with their ability to survive harsh environments as noted in this Scientific American article  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/elephants-never-forget/ . Our human memory also helps us learn from past experiences and mistakes, avoid recognizable hazards and keep track of our very busy lives.  Our memories for the most part have served us well, but the same might not always be said about digital memory in an always connected, real-time world.  One of the most valuable concepts known to man is hope.  Hope is the belief that things can change and get better.  It is the belief that one can turn the page and start a new life.  It is the motivation that draws many to get out of bed each morning, recover from past mistakes, and go to work.  Bankruptcy laws were designed, in part, to give hope. The Supreme C

Digital transformation is too big and important for our future success to not understand the rules that apply to it.  The first three rules for winning in this age of hyper-digital transformation are: Advantages in speed, analytics and operational tempos must be captured by implementing an optimized information logistics system (OILS)  Real-time operational tempos (IT, people and business processes) must be achieved Businesses that can “analyze data and act and with speed” will dominate those that are slower.  The first two rules prepare for the third, which focuses on action.  The first rule is about implementing an IT infrastructure capable of competing and winning.  The second rule expands beyond IT to encompass business and people processes that must be optimized to support a real-time and mobile business world.  The third rule says the first two rules are meaningless unless they result in right actions that are implemented faster than competitors can respond.  The role

Ten bags!  That is what we carried back from Rwanda, a small mountainous country in east equatorial Africa last night.  Why? The short answer is we have friends in Boise, Idaho with family and friends in Rwanda.  We took 7 bags to Rwanda, but unexpectedly returned with 10. Our refugee friends that have been resettled in the USA miss many familiar things from the region of their birth.  Now that they have jobs and money in the USA, they put in orders with their family and friends for the things they miss most.  We were surprised when we delivered a suitcase full of clothes to family members in a refugee camp high in the mountains of Northern Rwanda, and they gave us three in return.  We experienced that more than once. So much for traveling light! While in Kigali, Rwanda I had the honor of speaking to a number of government ministries and most of the large banks about digital strategies.  Not so much digital transformation though.  How do you talk about digital transformation when di

Ten bags!  That is what we carried back from Rwanda, a small mountainous country in east equatorial Africa last night.  Why? The short answer is we have friends in Boise, Idaho with family and friends in Rwanda.  We took 7 bags to Rwanda, but unexpectedly returned with 10. Our refugee friends that have been resettled in the USA miss many familiar things from the region of their birth.  Now that they have jobs and money in the USA, they put in orders with their family and friends for the things they miss most.  We were surprised when we delivered a suitcase full of clothes to family members in a refugee camp high in the mountains of Northern Rwanda, and they gave us three in return.  We experienced that more than once. So much for traveling light! While in Kigali, Rwanda I had the honor of speaking to a number of government ministries and most of the large banks about digital strategies.  Not so much digital transformation though.  How do you talk about digital transformation when di