​To advance their mission organisations need to invest in digital technology as well as related skills and processes.

New technology needs to fulfil the needs of the whole organisation, not just individual teams. Disparate platforms and data sets need to be brought together to enable richer insights and decision making.

Spending money on technology alone is not enough; investment in an in-depth analysis of staff and audience use cases and business processes is vital. With that knowledge, deciding on how to build the new technology will be easier and quicker.

None of this can happen without the right people with the right skills, attitudes and behaviours. Investment in more capacity, upskilling of existing staff and the development of new (agile) mindsets and ways of working are essential parts of the solution.

Digitisation (technology change) never happens in isolation. It will trigger a transformative change across the organisation – from process changes, to the way teams work and plan and what skills they need. This requires changes in mindset and attitudes. And that needs investment – to support the whole organisation through this period of change.

Things to think about

• Does your organisation have a digital budget which covers more than licences and ongoing fees for digital products?
• Is there an understanding in your organisation that investment in digital is ongoing, not a one-off?
• Do other teams in your organisation hold budgets for digital work? Does this encourage them to plan and develop projects in their silo or do they pool funds with other teams to create integrated products/projects?
• Does your organisation invest in change management?
• Does your organisation support staff on all levels of hierarchy to build their influencing and soft skills?