When we think about digital transformation, creativity is not the first thing that pops into our heads. We think of computer science and tech experts, and we tend to put creativity and technology on opposing forces. However, they should walk hand in hand since creativity is essential for any digital transformation project to be successful.

Creativity is the engine that drives the world. With the demand for a new Era of thinking, creativity is more important than ever, and it can be the distinguishing factor of a business in this highly competitive tech market.

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital Transformation  can be described as the process of using digital technology to change how a traditional and non-digital business operates. It allows the creation of new business processes and customer experiences to meet a business’s needs, or modify existing ones.

It can be defined as the reimagination of how we do business and how we engage our customers with the aid of technology, according to the evolution of the market and customer expectations.

Technology and Creativity: two concepts that go together

Technology aligns with creativity whenever it is necessary to create innovative solutions to problems and anticipate potential challenges. It is with creativity that people can develop and handle the most varied technologies.

Without the input of creativity, digital transformation projects can quickly become ineffective. Thus, it is important to encourage creativity throughout the entire process because it will most certainly make all the difference in the success of a project.

In this new digital era, the business environment is dominated by companies that aim to disrupt the competitive advantage of market leaders. Thus, creativity and innovation play a key role in creating value for companies since they increasingly depend on the creation of new products and services to remain competitive and enter new markets.

Today, the competition between companies is not only based on the quality of a product but on how innovative it is. In fact, 77% of CEOs ranked creativity as the most important leadership skill to have in 2022.

How to make the most of creativity

1. Encourage creativity

To keep up with the fast pace at which the world is changing, businesses need to innovate and adapt. In this sense, it is crucial to adapt to a different modus operandi and a different way of thinking in your company, and for that, encouraging creativity is key. You need to ensure that creative thinking is integrated into your planning and development stages.

Thinking outside of the box and finding new solutions, different from the ones you can find in the current market, can make the difference between the success of your business, and give you a competitive advantage over your competitors.

2. Open space for experimentation

Digital transformation programs can learn a lot from experimenting and trying new things. This is where innovation starts – by trying and failing until you finally succeed. However, it is important to remember that creativity requires time and space to attain new ideas. You need to make sure you have the room you need to be truly innovative.

A great tip to trigger and embrace creativity in digital transformation is to ask yourself questions – the “why” and “how” can be your best partners to find an innovative idea. You should ask yourself why you do things that way or what would happen if you did it differently. You might be surprised at the answer you might find.

3. Get inspiration

A creative idea can come from nowhere, but it can also take some inspiration to achieve an innovative solution. In your daily routine, you should unblock your creativity by looking everywhere for inspiration. A good way to do this is to look outside your company, check what your competitors are doing, or talk with your customers and colleagues. Be open to their suggestions and to new ideas from the outside world.

4. Investing in learning

Learning is extremely important throughout our entire lives and that also applies to our creativity. Investing in lifelong learning can make a difference in digital transformation since it is essential to try new things and develop new ideas. You need to adopt an agile approach to create new solutions quickly, and so you can discard ideas that do not work for your business and move on to the next one.

If you are looking for ways to learn and expand your horizons, you might try to read new books in interesting areas, listen to a podcast or read articles, and brainstorm ideas. Saving time for learning every day, even just for a few minutes, will help you get inspired and you will find it easier to come up with innovative solutions for your digital transformation.

5. Stay focused on an outcome

Creativity is an endless road to drive on. If you want to succeed in your digital transformation, you must define a purpose and stay focused on the outcome aligned. Give room and time for creativity to flourish and brainstorm new ideas, but do not forget what your goals are. After all, a success of a project or a business is measured by what is delivered at the end.

If you’re looking for a new IT services partner to help you digitally transform your business, talk to us! PrimeIT could be the partner you need to succeed in the competition for innovation.