A Guide to Choosing a Business Transformation Partner

If you’ve decided your organisation is ready for transformation, that’s a huge first step. Congratulations! Now comes the hard work of finding a partner to guide you through this process.

You’ll quickly discover that there is no shortage of options today. Consultancies of all stripes are now offering “the perfect solution” to your business transformation. 

Since transformation has become a trendy concept, it seems nearly everyone is using that term. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing to everyone. A quick refresher: We define transformation as “changing an organisation for the better so it’s able to achieve its strategic goals.”

Based on this definition, I see that a number of consultancies aren’t fully prepared to guide organisations through transformation. This tends to happen for two main reasons:

• Agencies that traditionally created products and services for organisations can package what’s trendy, but they don’t necessarily have the experience or expertise to follow through.

• Large, multinational consultancies understand the broad business context but often stop with a PowerPoint. They can create a strategy but won’t be able to motivate your people and inspire real change. 

Does this mean that you won’t find a good partner for your transformation? Not at all. There are plenty of capable consultancies out there. But it does mean that you will see the best results when you take some time to understand what you need first. Only then can you find a partner who can deliver on that.

So what do you do? If you’re going to engage with a consultancy on a project that’s as critical as transformation, I recommend taking some time to ensure their expertise matches your needs. 

Here are some questions to help you assess a potential transformation partner’s compatibility. 

What kind of organisations have you worked with?

What to look for in their answer: They’ve worked with organisations of a similar size and maturity level, and whose problems are similar to yours.

Which parts of the organisation have you helped change?

What to look for in their answer: They have worked cross-functionally; not just with one team or business unit. 

What’s your definition and hands-on experience of best practice ways of working?

What to look for in their answer: First, can they clearly articulate best practice ways of working? If you’re satisfied with their definition, find out how much experience they have actually helping teams adopt these practices.

Can you talk me through your role in the rollout?
(How were you involved in launching new collaboration structures, ways of working, decision making/governance, and/or capabilities?)

What to look for in their answer: They were involved throughout the rollout process and can share some of their successes and challenges. 

Can you put me in touch with a client I can talk to for reference?

What to look for in their answer: You want them to say yes! And when you talk with the reference, that’s your opportunity to ask any lingering questions and make sure you feel confident the consultancy is prepared to help your organisation succeed.

I believe bringing together deep experience in business change and contemporary innovation and customer experience development practices is the key to success. It’s not an either/or choice you have to make. We have seen and supported a wealth of organisations evolve to meet the demands of today’s rapid change and redesigned their operating model to better achieve their strategic goals. 

My business partner Teresa Leighty began her career in organisational design and transformation. She later worked in startups applying product design and innovation concepts and eventually ran a product development org. 

I started my career in design and innovation and worked in pioneering consultancies at the forefront of UX, product design, and emerging technologies. I’ve worked with Silicon Valley leaders, consultancies, and startups to introduce and mature customer-centricity, lean, and organisational agility. 

As consultants, we both leverage all of our previous career experiences to help organisations transform into product and customer-centric enterprises.

Want to learn more about working with us? Get in touch! We’d be happy to answer your questions, whether they’re from our list or not.