Essential Digital Transformation Roles

 While digital transformation projects will involve several teams across departments, there are four essential digital transformation roles:

• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• Digital Transformation Specialist
• Digital Adoption Manager
• Digital Product Manager

 

Here is an overview of the responsibilities associated with each role:

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Traditionally, CIOs are in charge of a company’s information technology (IT) systems and processes. However, the role is becoming more focused on heading up business strategies and digital transformation initiatives.

The responsibilities of a CIO:

• Establish objectives for digital transformation initiatives and IT-related processes.
• Analyze the costs and potential value of technology.
• Run risk analyses for IT investments and initiatives.
• Design digital transformation strategies.
• Oversee technology implementation.

CIOs often manage other key players in digital transformation, including digital transformation specialists, digital adoption managers, and digital product managers.

 

Digital Transformation Specialist

Digital transformation specialists find ways to leverage technology to enhance a company’s technical performance and help them remain competitive. This could mean digitizing outdated processes, augmenting operations with the help of machine learning or automation, etc. Specialists work across departments to identify both gaps in service and opportunities for improvement.

The responsibilities of a digital transformation specialist are:

• Stay up to date on tech trends.
• Recommend digital transformation initiatives that would benefit the business.
• Provide strategic advice for implementing and managing digital transformations.
• Guide companies throughout the transformation process.

 

Digital Adoption Manager

Digital adoption managers oversee a company’s digital strategy and identify ways to help people learn new technologies. It’s their job to make sure teams know how to use digital tools to their full potential.

The responsibilities of a digital adoption manager are:

• Onboard new hires.
• Train employees on software and other technology.
• Recommend new digital tools and business processes to leadership.
• Gain leadership buy-in for digital initiatives.
• Monitor the success and ROI of digital transformations and investments.

 

Digital Product Manager

Digital product managers take ownership of the entire digital product life cycle, from the idea phase to launch. Their work involves collaborating with multiple teams, including IT, marketing, sales, and legal. They oversee the development of digital products and do market research in order to make more informed design and product decisions.

The responsibilities of a digital product manager are:

• Perform market research to identify opportunities for new products or improvements on existing products.
• Create strategies for developing digital products.
• Serve as a liaison between the various teams involved in digital product development.
• Track performance metrics for digital products and projects.