A digital strategy identifies how organizations can use technology to enhance existing business models, create entirely new opportunities, or respond to competitive threats. Its direct connection and influence on organizational strategy and particularly the impact on business models separates it from an IT strategy which focuses on how to execute on the organizational strategy.
For UBC, digital technologies will present challenges and opportunities. Developing a digital strategy can provide a framework for leveraging our existing activities and investments toward successfully navigating and thriving in an ever-changing future. A digital strategy should identify opportunities that new digital capabilities bring to support and inform institutional goals.
Elements of a digital strategy for UBC would include variations of the following:
Digital leadership - UBC needs to be a leader in responding to the disruption in the global workforce, resulting in new learning and teaching models, and responding to opportunities or threats, and demonstrating leadership in helping its own workforce adapt and thrive;
Digitalization - with the implementation of Workday, UBC has an opportunity to renew and optimize workflow, and activities using new technologies such as robotic process automation (RPA), machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT) to improve processes and interactions;
Digital experience - creating personalized and contextualized experiences and services using data and analytics that enable and support UBC's stakeholders, while using data ethically, securely, and respecting privacy;
Designed for digital - as part of digital design, UBC needs an institutional workforce strategy that identifies the changing nature of work, the issues and opportunities, and develop a change and transition plan to support its workforce.