Navigating the Noise advice from our Head Digital Sherpa
(3 minute or less read)
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After 25+ years in IT and the last 8 years adding in the complexities of OT, I've watched countless organizations get lost in the noise of digital transformation.
It seems almost every week that when I’m speaking with executives from any industry, they all have the same thoughts and questions about their journey. "Kelly, we thought we were ahead in this transformation journey, but now we’re questioning our approach. We’re not seeing the results nor attaining the ROI we were told could be achieved.”
Sound familiar?
Here's what I've learned: The problem isn't the technology. It's that businesses are trying to navigate the Mount Everest of emerging technology without a guide or Sherpa. And there are plenty who say they can guide you…but the results (or lack of) that we are seeing every day shows something completely different.
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The "Cool Demo" Trap
I can't count how many conference presentations I've sat through where companies showcase impressive demos that are clearly cool and have a wow factor: but the actual value isn’t as clear. And the question that everyone should be asking is – Can you show me something other than a PowerPoint or a streaming video?
The reality?
It’s hard to distinguish between all the hype.
Not because the technology doesn't work, but because organizations lack proper guidance through implementation complexity. It is no longer typical IT – take hardware, add software, put it together and it works! That doesn’t work with the transformation that’s happening now.
We started working in Operational Technology over 8 years ago. We had one customer who had to implement technology to keep their business within strict regulations, which was becoming more or more complex. They brought in the best and brightest companies, but no one was there to make it all work together and make sense of it collectively.
So, they asked us to step in.
Our ability to ensure our client didn’t fail taught me everything.
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What Makes a Digital Sherpa Different
A vendor just sells you hardware and/or software.
A Digital Sherpa guides you through the why, figures out what you need, facilitates how to procure, and then how to successfully implement it.
Real example: Recently, we guided a Fortune 500 company through a complex Connected Worker technology evaluation and deployment. Instead of getting lost in making sense of technology noise and various “promises of success” from others, we delivered a comprehensive, all-inclusive solution that's focused on their key priorities and is now providing quantified ROI, saving them millions of dollars annually.
The crux of the breakthrough?
They trusted us to truly help guide them.
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The Technology Noise is Getting Louder
With concepts like Artificial Intelligence coming from every angle, the noise is becoming deafening. Especially with the noise of technology promising to be "game-changing" and "revolutionary” being complimented with disdain, fatigue, and failures or the ever-present "POC purgatory.”
Here's my advice as someone who's been in this space for decades:
Don't get swept up in the hype.
Get answers to these questions:
Because they will get complicated.
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Why This Matters More Than Ever
As a woman-owned business in industrial technology, I've had to earn credibility through results, not promises. That has shaped how we approach every client relationship.
We don't just deliver technology. We co-navigate the terrain with our clients, connecting innovation to impact. We make promises that we can keep because we know what the journey entails and how to navigate it.
The companies that succeed in digital transformation aren't the ones with the coolest technology. They're the ones with the best guidance.
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My Challenge to Industrial Leaders
Next time you're evaluating technology solutions, ask yourself:
"Am I buying equipment, or am I gaining a seasoned, trusted guide who will help me navigate this complexity?"
The difference between the two determines whether you'll reap the benefits of properly implemented technology or get stuck with expensive paper weights.
Listen to Kelly speak live on this topic on the The Connected Worker Podcasts hosted by former RealWear CEO Andrew Chrostowski which is part of the Oil & Gas Global Network' by clicking here.