Keeping Transformation Business-Focused

‘Transformation is about improving what needs to be improved.’ This statement has matured over the years in two key aspects.

First, improvement through technology must impact the business; otherwise, it is just a technical migration, a new toy or a digital fashion that will not sustain over time. Second, there is always something we need to improve. In fact, at any given point in time, there are many things that need to be improved in our way of doing business with the help of technology. But we need to make the decision to work first on what matters most.

Sometimes we work on a new process with more automation or more digitalization, but as a team we must be aware if this improvement adds little or no value compared with other larger topics that need to be addressed first. My younger self felt the excitement of deploying new technologies, many times without knowing what business impact it was making. 

At Bantrab, we see that if we put the customer at the center of the transformation and improve our business bottom line, these transformations will have better ROI and scale better. This sounds very generic, but it is as simple as it is a powerful notion that is easily forgotten once the projects start. Therefore, it must be treated as a commitment instead of just a concept, and I make sure day-to-day decisions are based on it.  

From Technology to Business Impact

I have a strong belief that breakthroughs happen by connecting the boxes, not just thinking outside the box. As technology experts, we need to be involved in business discussions, putting aside ‘the tech filter,’ so that we understand what business impact needs to be achieved.

“Simple outcomes in smaller groups present a more feasible scenario to place the proper skills in each team.”

On the other hand, my time is also devoted to testing technologies, either through first-hand experience or with the help of my team, but also in alliance with other companies (technology providers, vendors, consultants, fintechs, etc.). First is the pure technical evaluation, but then it must evolve to connect the technical features to those business scenarios that were discussed; that is the concept of ‘connecting the boxes,’ done through experimentation and collaboration.

I keep an open mind about failed experiments; those are the ‘boxes’ that could not be connected, but always open to new possibilities for further experimentation and success. Using this collaborative approach, I have learned about new business scenarios that I bring to Bantrab to provide ideas and best practices within the financial industry and other industries.

Breaking down Complexity

As technology transformation initiatives became more complex, cross-border, multiple business areas, non-adjacent timelines, new and numerous technologies, different languages and time zones. I used to believe that a yet more complex and rigid framework was needed to govern execution, but once there, you learn that complexity is just a group of simplicities.

The more complex the initiative is, the work must be broken down into units of work that can deliver a simple result, one that adds to the larger output that is expected. These simplicities are easier to plan, to communicate, to deliver results, to breakdown among smaller teams that have less overhead. 

Simple outcomes in smaller groups present a more feasible scenario to place the proper skills in each team. Over my trajectory, I apply what Albert Einstein prompted: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

Prioritizing Innovation for Value

There is no technology innovation without business agility, governance, and customer value. If technology innovation does not address these three areas, then it is just a technology renewal cycle, but not an innovation. 

The balancing act in technology innovation is more of a continuous prioritizing process, deciding how to use limited resources to achieve the best outcome for our customers and our business. Innovation is also about being flexible with this arrangement of priorities, because sometimes we need to adjust. Once we start moving and have a better understanding of how the current technology innovation aligns with business impact, the path has to be innovative itself, not a rigid one.

Learning to Innovate Differently

Innovation cannot come only from my own experience. Being an educator gives me the opportunity to visualize concepts through the eyes of fresh and unbiased minds. What has failed or worked for me in the past may not be valid in the present context of business and technology advancements.  

The English word ‘innovation’ comes from the Latin verb innovare, which means ‘to renew or change.’ Being an educator is an opportunity to renew or even change my approach to situation analysis and problem-solving through technology.