DataMaturity4AgileSME (DNAi): guidance trajectory digital transformation SMEs

SMEs often don't know where to start with digital transformation. We are therefore designing a guidance process with attention to people and data that supports SMEs in their digitization.

Research Theme: Mens, samenleving en digitalisering

Field of interest: People and Society

Duration: 1/01/2021 - 31/10/2022

Financing: ESF+; VLAIO

Digital innovation projects underrepresented among SMEs

The digital revolution has continued unabated for years and has increased in speed due to the corona virus. Organizations can continuously improve by embracing digital technology and implementing innovation. This creates added value for customers and employees. New technologies offer new opportunities for the company, both on a very concrete and fundamental level. Yet digital is not yet the new normal for many companies.

SMEs provide around 70% of employment in the Belgian private sector, according to research by Agoria. However, in terms of digital innovation projects, they are underrepresented when compared to large corporations and digital start-ups. Idea Consult states that SMEs often do not know where to start. There is also hardly any consideration of the way in which organizations can organize themselves to be future-proof, also with regard to the human capital within their company. However, it is precisely that human capital that is unique to each organization, making it an important resource to realize competitive advantage.

Guidance trajectory digital transformation SMEs

The best foundation for digitization consists of two elements: data and people. Both form the DNA or basic structure of a digital organization.

Howest, Artevelde University College and Agoria will work on an integrated guidance track that:

identifies and supports the impact on people from the start;
in combination with an in-company data & change training.

Together we teach employees and management how to deal with data and at the same time we take their questions, fears and uncertainties with us by highlighting the human aspect of the transition.

The result of this guidance process will lead to a data-driven and agile organization and data-literate and change-ready employees. This lays the foundation for further digital transformation projects (and in particular artificial intelligence) in SMEs.

Process design guidance process

Develop guidance process.
Testing the guidance process with at least 3 SMEs during the next 2 years (2021-2022). The SMEs are selected in the context of the AI Discovery Sessions. After the AI Discovery Session, the desire to realize the business case can be further concretized with a DNAi coaching process.
Adjust guidance process.
Delivering a scenario with a validated guidance track that SMEs can use that want to strengthen their data maturity and change skills in order to ultimately embrace data-driven digital technologies and implement innovation.