Why Digital Transformation Fails: The Critical Lesson from How Big Things Get Done
Digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s essential. Yet, studies show that nearly 70% of digital transformation projects fail. Why? The answer often lies in poor planning and misaligned execution.
A powerful lesson from the book How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner explains why so many large-scale projects—whether skyscrapers, highways, or even IT overhauls—go over budget, take too long, or fail outright. The key takeaway? Start with the end in mind and work backward to build a strategic path forward.
At 624 Digital, we see this principle play out constantly in technology adoption. Businesses often rush to implement tools like CRM systems, AI-driven automation, or offshore development teams without first defining what success looks like. The result? Wasted resources, frustrated teams, and unmet expectations.
Why “Right to Left” Thinking Matters
Traditional project planning follows a left-to-right approach: pick a technology, build a roadmap, and hope it aligns with business needs. But How Big Things Get Done flips that script, advocating for right-to-left planning—where we first define the ideal outcome and then work backward to structure the implementation.
Here’s how this applies to digital transformation:
Define Success First – Before choosing any software or platform, clarify your business objectives. Do you want to streamline lead generation? Improve customer engagement? Automate key workflows? Identifying the right goal prevents misaligned investments.
Identify Roadblocks Early – Many projects fail because hidden challenges emerge too late. A right-to-left approach forces you to anticipate hurdles—whether it’s data migration, team adoption, or integration issues—before they derail progress.
Select Technology That Fits the Plan (Not Vice Versa) – Too often, companies buy expensive software only to realize it doesn’t align with their processes. Instead, businesses should build a plan first, then select the tech that supports it.
How This Applies to Your Business
At 624 Digital, we help companies avoid these pitfalls by applying strategic technology planning that follows the right-to-left approach:
Fractional CTO Services: We start by understanding your business strategy, then define how technology can best support growth.
CRM & AI Integration: Instead of forcing a system into your workflow, we identify the pain points first and implement solutions that solve them.
Offshore Development Management: We help businesses optimize outsourcing by designing a plan that ensures efficiency, communication, and quality—before hiring a single developer.
Real Estate SaaS Development (RE624): We are building our property investor platform by first defining what success looks like for our users, ensuring that every feature moves them closer to closing more deals with less effort.
The Bottom Line
Digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about ensuring that technology drives business results. As How Big Things Get Done teaches us, starting with the end goal in mind prevents costly missteps and dramatically increases the likelihood of success.
If your business is considering a digital transformation or struggling to see results from past efforts, let’s talk. At 624 Digital, we don’t just implement technology—we ensure it works for your business goals.
Ready to transform with purpose? Contact us today.
