These are some examples of the outcomes that can be realized when data is leveraged with Artificial Intelligence (AI). But digital transformation is not about isolated achievements. It is about recalibrating the entire organization around collecting, analyzing and using data. It is about becoming an organization with the ability to learn and evolve.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not a one-time fix, it\u2019s a journey. And it\u2019s one Microsoft has been on itself.<\/p>\n
Making it happen at Microsoft<\/h2>\n
Over four decades, Microsoft has grown from a small start-up to a $110 billion business with more than 130,000 employees. As the 4th Industrial Revolution hit, Microsoft felt the need for its own digital transformation to be at the forefront of the digital age.<\/p>\n
The company set out to become a truly Intelligence Driven Organization with data at its heart. But to transform on such a massive scale, everyone from the CEO down had to align behind a vision that could inspire real change. It meant committing to new ways of working that would transform every process on which Microsoft was built. The whole business would need to work differently, experimenting more and learning from failure.<\/p>\n
The transformation was a strategic imperative from the beginning. Looking back, you can follow the journey Microsoft was taking through CEO Satya Nadella\u2019s public announcements. In April 2014, Satya said: \u201cYou have to build deeply into the fabric of the company a culture that thrives on data.\u201d From that point on, everyone at Microsoft embraced a way of working that was centered around leveraging data to better understand and make decisions.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Satya wrote the book Hit Refresh, covering the transformation at Microsoft within the context of AI and its impact on everyday life \u2013 a story encapsulated in his statement that \u201cAI is the runtime that is going to shape all of what we do going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
One year later, he introduced the idea of Tech Intensity, explaining that, \u201cevery organization will need to have what I describe as tech intensity\u2026to be a fast adopter of digital technology\u2026to build their own proprietary digital capability<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n At the heart of Microsoft\u2019s transformational journey was the concept of a growth mindset: the idea that everyone can change, learn and grow. To bring this vision to life, Microsoft identified four attributes that would allow this mindset to flourish.<\/p>\n The first attribute was obsessing over the people who matter most \u2013 the customers \u2013 and really understanding what truly matters to them. Second, Microsoft wanted to become a more diverse and inclusive organization. Third, the company wanted to break down its siloes and start operation as a single unit. And finally: to make a difference to the lives of each other, customers and the world around them.<\/p>\n As Satya pointed out, \u201cas a culture, we are moving from a group of people who know it all to a group of people who want to learn it all<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n To track the progress of their cultural transformation, Microsoft began by asking employees if they were seeing evidence of positive change. This data was then evaluated against attributes that were measured over time. They included quantitative and qualitative analytics, with regular focus groups to ensure the trends that emerged were fully understood. To drive openness and transparency, all findings were regularly shared with senior management.<\/p>\nA growth mindset<\/h2>\n
Becoming intelligence driven<\/h2>\n
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