Digital transformation often begins with optimism. A new technology promises exciting possibilities, a compelling business case wins support, and expectations for change run high. Yet time and again, organizations encounter the same challenge: the technology arrives, but the transformation doesn't.

So where does technology transformation go wrong?

In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, recorded February 2026, Julian Birkinshaw sits down with Nicole Haggerty, Associate Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor of Digital Innovation and Information Systems at Ivey, to explore what it really takes to drive meaningful digital change. And no, the answer isn’t investing in better technology. It’s understanding that lasting transformation is ultimately a human challenge, not a technological one.

Drawing on her extensive research in Canadian healthcare organizations, Nicole reveals how organizational “ruptures” – moments of tension, disagreement, and uncertainty that emerge during periods of change – can become powerful catalysts for transformation. Together, she and Julian examine how leaders can use these moments to foster learning, navigate complexity, and create lasting value. They also explore what these insights mean for organizations seeking to transform amid ongoing disruption.

At a moment when organizations everywhere are racing to adopt AI, this timely conversation offers a grounded and compelling reminder: technology may enable change, but people determine whether it succeeds.

In this episode: 

1:23: From industry challenges to research discoveries
 3:24: Understanding the role of ruptures
 11:24: How do people learn their way into the future they are trying to create?
 15:02: Why transformation thrives – or dies
 16:51: The strategy behind AI integration
 18:46: Is AI the answer to workplace productivity?
 22:06: The high cost of moving too fast
 24:24: The ruptures emerging in AI adoption
 27:53: Teaching the art of digital transformation

To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit: 

Generative mechanisms of IT-enabled transformation of a hospital laboratory: A critical realist evaluation
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963868725000381?via%3Dihub

Ruptures during IT-enabled change: A sensemaking and imbrication analysis
https://misq.umn.edu/misq/article-abstract/49/1/61/87/Ruptures-During-IT-enabled-Change-A-Sensemaking?redirectedFrom=fulltext 

Strategies and Tools for Electronic Health Records and Physician Workflow Alignment: Protocol for a Scoping Review
https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e60464