Companies flaunt the term digital transformation almost as if it’s a badge of honor. It’s a  phrase that can signify an enterprise is on the cutting edge of innovation with a constant eye toward the future. But Joanne Friedman, CEO of Connektedminds, has another word for it.

“It's a misnomer,” she said. “Any company that isn't constantly in some state of transformation isn't alive.”

Joanne believes that companies don’t simply go through a digital transformation once and then pat themselves on the back — at least, the good ones don’t. No, she is of the mind that digital transformation is an ongoing process, and it’s one she’s been going through her entire career.  An industry visionary, entrepreneur, and IT executive, Joanne envisions herself and Connektedminds as the leaders of the team helping companies reach their goals when it comes to their IT needs and how to constantly improve.

“Coach Is the best description because we stay with the client throughout the whole process,” she said. “It's not just helping them choose technology. It's what do you want to be when you grow up as a digital business? You have to define the outcomes. You have to look at the business model of how that company is going to operate. This is what you're going to have to go through to get to that point. So we act as a coach.”

On this episode of IT Visionaries, Joanne dives deep into the world of digital transformations, how companies should be thinking about the process, the role a proper analyst plays in helping to make those decisions, and why it might be time to alter the phase all together. Plus, Joanne discusses the intricacies of IoT and why it’s time to finally set some standards when it comes to connected devices.

Main Takeaways

• What is Digital Transformation: Digital transformation is a gradual process, it does not happen overnight and companies need to stop thinking they can take on large tasks in a swift manner. What they should be thinking about is their technology stack as a toolkit, filled with 15-20 different tools. Each of those tools should have one goal: does it drive value to the overall business? If it does not, it should not be in your tech stack.
• Coach Friedman: Analysts are coaches, there to help you reach your goals and accomplish the task at hand. When you are an analyst, you have to constantly be thinking about the company's future and what it could be in five to ten years and then reverse engineer strategies to help get them there.
• Can we Get Some Standards Up in Here?: Right now, one of the biggest problems surrounding the IoT space is the lack of defined standards between consumer IoT, which includes items such as iPads, phones and routers and industrial IoT devices. Currently, there is ambiguity about where industrial IoT falls and the list of guidelines it must adhere to.

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