Week 6 - Blockchain & Enterprise Strategy

Question 1

Blockchain in strategy… The right order

Answer 1

1) Strategy

2) Digital transformation 

3) Blockchain

Question 2

Role for technology in strategy

Answer 2

• Porter & Millar; Information & Competitive Advantage [1985] 

  1) Four tests (for change through technology)
  
2) Seven steps (for building technology strategy)
  
- Trafford & Boggis; Beyond Default [2017] 

  1) Default future

  2) Capabilities & navigating forces Digital Transformation 

  3) Enabling business change through smart use of tech 

  4) Technology drives sustained competitive advantage

Question 3

Blockchain in technology basket

Answer 3

• Digital transformation will leverage a basket of technologies
  
- Informed decision as to what technology when: maturity, capability, reference projects 

• Based on sound business judgement: most sustainable competitive advantage, need not be “emerging”
  
- Iterative, agile-like planning process . . .

Question 4

Teamwork

Answer 4

• Business Team 

  1. Bought into transformation with technology 

  2. Passionate about constant business improvement 

  3. Forward looking and impatient
• Technology team 

  1. Committed to, and passionate about transformation 

  2. Understand business, but not at expert levels 

  3. Constantly curious and always learning

Question 5

Prepare

Answer 5

WHAT

- Align technology vision and strategic plan

- Understand information and process base

- Research & learn from industry best practice

HOW?

- Clear, shared company vision

- Meetings, discussion, online collaboration 

- Iterative, improving – including culture 

WHO? (does what . . )

- BIZ: Challenge technology vision to refine

- TECH: Challenge strategic plan to improve

Question 6

Horizon Scan

Answer 6

WHAT

- Business team set exploration envelope

- Search for technology that could be transformational

HOW?

- Conferences, social media, university relations, analysts 

- Grade, balance, sense check and unify information 

WHO?

- BIZ: sets envelope; challenges 

- TECH: owns process; leads; explains

Question 7

Experiment

Answer 7

WHAT

- Trial usage of the technology to solve a business problem 

- Finite scope pilot with specified business goals 

HOW? 

- Design Thinking followed by agile development

- Short term, user-centric, finite resource, OK to fail . .
WHO? 

- BIZ: define scope, provide business input, validate results 

- TECH: own process, implement experiments 


Question 8

Implement

Answer 8

WHAT?

- Solution to business problem using technology 

- Demonstration of business value through usage 

HOW?

- Agile development with led by technology team

- Specific need explained by business team 

WHO?

- BIZ: guides, as customer 

- TECH: owns process; builds project

Question 9

Conclusions

Answer 9

• Blockchain: trusted distributed ledger with shared business process
  
- Exciting projects, cross industry, moving to production usage 

• Part of digital transformation - must be business strategy led, informed, agile