1. Defining digital transformation
Hello, my name is Jordan Morrow and welcome to my course with DataCamp: Introduction to Digital Transformation. In my career, I was lucky enough to help pioneer and invent the entire field of data literacy and still travel and/or speak around the world on this topic. I am excited to bring this subject to you, so let’s not wait and let’s jump in.
2. The world we live in
We live in a day and age where technology is synonymous with life. It is a part of every day for us. Over time, technology has shifted and improved our lives. This is the digital transformation and the world we’ve become accustomed to.
3. A history lesson
To help us understand digital transformation more, a history lesson may help. To begin, think of smartphones, like an iPhone. The telephone or smartphone is now synonymous with our lives. But, it didn’t necessarily start that way. As technology and our knowledge improved, so did the telephone. From landlines to cordless phones to large cell phones to now, with digital transformation taking shape with the internet and personal computers, the smartphone is a culmination of digital transformation. It is a wonderful device that has been transformed from its original form and has been coupled with other things that empower digital transformation, like computers and the internet. In a funny way, we can think about when cellphones were becoming more prominent in our lives and it looked more like a “brick”. Now, to the pocket size smartphones that are powerful computers. What a magnificent thing to think about.
4. The personal computer
Another example of digital transformation that has empowered the world is personal computer. Historically, a computer may take up an entire room. Then, we evolved to the smaller personal computers, but even then, we weren’t done. The personal computer has become a part of our daily lives, whether in school or work, and as was previously mentioned, through our smartphones at this point. Like the smartphone, the personal computer coupled itself with other things within digital transformation like the internet and software. Can you imagine working today without a personal computer or the internet? You are probably using a smartphone, personal computer, or the internet to watch this video.
5. Digital transformation defined
One way to ensure we understand digital transformation appropriately is through the definition. From The Enterprisers Project we learn: “Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It's also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure.”
Overall, digital transformation is empowering and can help businesses thrive and take advantage of the technologies that are appearing or have appeared today. Through the proper understanding of digital transformation, we hope to empower you in your organization to capitalize on the powerful things available at your fingertips today.
6. Let's practice!
Before we jump into the next part of lesson 1, let's reinforce what you have learned through some exercises.