Tuesday 22 November 2022

1. Developing a digital
transformation
framework for higher
education - enabling a
digitally capable
organisation
Sarah Knight and Lou McGill, Jisc

2. Digital transformation
2
07/12/2
“Digital transformation is
a series of deep and
coordinated culture,
workforce, and
technology shifts that
enable new educational
and operating models
and transform an
institution's business
model, strategic
directions, and value
proposition.”
Brown et al.
Digital Transformation Signals: Is
Your Institution on the Journey?
Enterprise Connections (blog),
EDUCAUSE Review, May 12, 2020.

3. Digital transformation (2)
3
07/12/2
•Expectations
•Activities
•Behaviour
•Experiences
PEOPLE
•Operations
•Workflows
•Processes
CORE
BUSINESS
ACTIVITIES
•Systems
•Data
•Networks
•Buildings
TECHNICAL
INFRASTRUTURE
Digital transformation -
how digital impacts on…

4. Digital transformation
•Is the cultural, organisational and operational change of
an organisation, industry or ecosystem through a smart
integration of digital technologies, processes and
competencies across all levels and functions in a staged
way
•Leverages technologies to create value for stakeholders,
and to enable greater agility and resilience in the face of
changing circumstances
•Is not primarily about technology adoption.
•It is first and foremost about transforming the mindset
and culture of an organisation to ensure that technology
can be deployed as a multiplier of impact
4

5. Review of digital strategies and approaches
to digital transformation
•Review of university digital strategies
•Interviews with senior leaders across a
variety of roles including vice-presidents,
deans, chief digital officers (CDOs), chief
information officers (CIOs) and directors of
information technology
•Report published in January 2023
5

6. Critical factors for digital transformation
6
07/12/2
Digital
leadership
Appropriate
investment
Stakeholder
engagement
Robust
infrastructure
Digitally
capable staff
and students
Culture change
Staff and
student
experience
Rethinking
education and
research

7. Review of our organisational framework
•Origin – created in 2015 alongside our digital capability
framework for individuals
•Individual framework – minor modifications
•Organisational framework – major revision
•Reflects focus on digital transformation
•Informed by recent work with organisations,
FE Digital elevation tool, Jisc research following
the pandemic
•Digital capabilities is only one aspect of the
framework
7

8. Developing a framework for digital
transformation
8
Currently being revised - expected early 2023
Underpinning element
• Digital and physical infrastructure
4 core areas of activity
• Knowledge creation and innovation
• Knowledge development
• Knowledge management and use
• Knowledge exchange and partnerships
Overarching element
• Organisational digital culture
Each element broken down into action areas to
support organisations plan and implement
transformation strategies

9. Focus on knowledge practices
Collective wisdom of an organisation
•Digital transformation frameworks produced by business organisations
often focus on critical success factors (eg strategy, leadership,
investment, technical aspects). These are all included within this
framework at various appropriate places.
•Takes the emphasis away from technological or business process
approaches and encourages a focus on what people do or need to do
to enhance these practices within the organisation.
•It is not about knowledge in the purely theoretical sense. Aims to
highlight the importance of using information and data intelligently,
scaffolding to build on existing collective wisdom, and emphasises the
impact of knowledge creation, innovation and exchange in a global
setting through collaborative social and learning networks.

10. Developing a digital transformation framework
• Partnerships and networks
Foundational element
Digital and physical infrastructure
• Robust digital infrastructure
• Digital connectivity and security
• IT support
• Estates management
Organisational attributes
Organisational digital culture
• Digital culture and mindset​
• Organisational identity​
• Organisational wellbeing​
• Organisational change​
Core organisational practices
Knowledge creation and innovation
• Digital vision and horizon scanning
• Research
• Innovation
• Impact
Knowledge development
• Curriculum development
• Digital teaching and assessment
• Digital learning
• Learner experience
Knowledge management and use​
• Information management and use​
• Data management and use​
• Business intelligence
• Decision making​
Knowledge exchange and partnerships​
• Communication​
• Collaboration​
• Community participation​
• Relationship management​

11. A digital transformation framework
How it might be used
•The framework should support an organisation to map activities,
strengths, ambitions and draw up action plans. It also aims to help
organisations see patterns, links and synergies across traditional
boundaries.
•Various formats – eg a maturity model/toolkit to identify where an
organisation is in relation to each element
•Emerging – Established – Enhanced
•Mapped to key organisational strategic principles

12. Making it happen
Group
activities –
your feedback

13. What do we mean by digital transformation?
Draw what digital transformation means
to you…..
What kind of animal would it look like?
What kind of car or transport might it look
like?
Share with a neighbour? Or someone you
don’t already know?
Tweet them using #jiscexperts22

14. Activity 2 – developing the framework
•Look for the sheet with the QR code and bit/ly link and
access the google doc (in pairs or individually)
•Focus on the area you have been allocated first then
move onto another if time
•Fill in columns 2,3 in relation to your own organisation - could
be what you are doing or what you would like to do.
•Use the keywords in the 4th column as a guide but you may
think of other aspects too. Some aspects may fall in other
sections too
•
14

15. Activity 2 – bit.ly links
•https://bit.ly/framework-organisational-culture
•https://bit.ly/framework-knowledge-creation
•https://bit.ly/framework-knowledge-development
•https://bit.ly/framework-knowledge-management
•https://bit.ly/framework-knowledge-exchange
•https://bit.ly/framework-digital-infrastructure

16. Activity 3 – using the framework
• In the google doc you have an excerpt from one of the sections of
the framework which is currently in development.
•The framework provides a structure that can be used to break
down various elements of digital transformation activity.
•It will be presented in varying degrees of detail - from broad
statements to illustrative examples of more specific activities
•Please give us your feedback on how you might use the
framework and a maturity model (Emerging – Established -
Enhanced)
16

17. Next steps
•Report on the review of digital strategies to be published in January
and will inform Jisc guidance
•Ongoing development of the framework for digital transformation with
further consultation with sector bodies and sector leads (Dec – Jan)
and published at Digifest
•Development of the maturity toolkit for digital transformation (March –
May 23)
•If you are interested in contributing to the framework development
please contact Sarah Knight (sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk) and Lou McGill
(lou.mcgill@gmail.com)
17

18. “My best advice for a college or university with digital
transformation ambitions is to recognize that the path to digital
transformation is a journey and needs to be recognized as
such.
More than just a metaphor, this approach means that you need
to assess where you are realistically, plan for the trip, begin with
the end in mind, and start the journey with a view toward
flexibility and an expectation that it may not be a straight path.”
John O’Brien, President and CEO of Educause

19. Get in touch …
Sarah Knight
sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk
@sarahknight
Lou McGill
lou.mcgill@gmail.com
@loumcgill
Except where otherwise noted,
this work is licensed under CC-BY