Storytelling Reflection

Challenge & Selection

Storytelling is a great tool that I use all the time. I teaches graduate students with a local  University. One of the topic I covered is the understanding of the different modalities of  change brought about by digitisation, digitalisation and transformation in a business.  My  challenges is to be able to explain these often-used concepts to the class.  All are some form  of changes brought about by use of technology or digital tools.  Many participants have  vague understanding what these concepts clearly mean and like any lay-person used them  loosely in everyday business context. Most will consider any use of IT or automation as  digital change and any change to introduce technology is thereby transformational.  I usually  share stories to help students better appreciate the differences between these 3 types of  digital change.

Application

One aspect that I wanted the students to understand is what makes the use of technology  transformational. It is not adopting the latest technology or the new technology that  matters. While technology is at the core of digital transformation, it is the way how  technology are being adapted to fundamentally change the way work is carried out that  differentiate transformation from other change.

I use this story which I experienced some years ago to bring this across.  It used to be an era  where offices own separate laser printers, black-and-white or colour printers. In addition,  they will have other standalone machines such as photocopiers, scanners, fax machines etc.   Operating cost of inventory and maintenance of these separate equipment are high. There  were other sustainability issues such as wastage uncollected print outs, health hazards with  toners dust when machines are placed around working staff etc.  How do we think about  transforming the printing business? “Cloud Printing” was implemented, the company  introduced networked multi-function devices that can perform all the functions of print,  scan, copy and fax.  These Smart devices can be remotely managed and integrated to staff  passes where one will need to tap to collect print outs, one could send printing securely to  different buildings or overseas locations and have them picked up by the designated  recipients. It simplifies the accounting of usage as the device can track who is printing what,  this help to manage waste from printing the unnecessary. This initiative drastically improve  the management of printers, reduces the number of devices and change the way people  uses printing in the organisation.

Insight & Approach

This is a simple story to illustrate the transformation of work arrangement through the use  of technology.  It happens 10- years ago but had big impact on the way the people works  during those days.  In class, while there can be textbook definitions of concepts, it is easier  to visualise them when a story is used to explain.  The ideas presented can be best illustrate  through story telling when one used of the same technology may be transformational in one  company but not in another.

As part of the lesson, I would invite the participants to also think along the same and share  their own stories, their own examples about digital transformation in their own  organisation.  This part is often appreciated and the student feedback such sharing through  story telling is useful to their learning.

