Can Digital Innovation Still Be Carried Out Remotely?

Digital innovation is one of the key aspects of running any business. We all know how important intrapreneurship and transformation is, however few businesses can say that they’re actually committed to enabling new ideas and bringing new digital products to life.

COVID-19 has made this easier and harder than ever. On the one hand, digital innovation has been essential to getting businesses through this period and in that sense we’ve seen a huge amount of progress in a relatively short time. 

On the other hand, digital innovation has been harder than ever as teams have been split up. Motivation has been low, and businesses have been focusing on survival day-to-day as opposed to new ideas and digital products.

We’re looking at the changes that COVID-19 has made to our industry and how we can still carry this hugely important task whilst working remotely.

What Is Digital Innovation?

Digital Innovation can be defined as new digital ideas, new digital products and over the movement of a business to a more digitally aligned strategy. In the modern world, businesses who aren’t innovating their products are falling behind.

Whether the innovation is regarding new products, or improving old ones, businesses that are digitally stagnant are unlikely to adapt and survive long into the future.

We’ve heard a million times that businesses need to develop innovative, impactful digital products but many have put this process on the backburner. However, COVID-19 has put the spotlight on online evolution since new technologies and initiatives have helped businesses survive this period.

How Has COVID-19 Changed Innovation?

Recent data shows that we accelerated five years forward in consumer and business digital adoption in a matter of around eight weeks during the pandemic. This shift has been due to businesses hurrying to keep up with the online demand. 

Consumers needed digital solutions in order to keep living their lives as normal. With the outside world shut down and locked in, the online world allowed businesses to continue trading and improve the experience of customers.

One other huge change that we’ve seen is to the customer journey. Due to the customer being largely online now, businesses are having to find ways to reduce the friction involved with moving the customer online and providing products that are conscious of the new world that we’re living in.

Finally, COVID-19 has made digital innovation entirely remote, which has meant that companies have faced new challenges in bringing digital products to market without the in-person input of the relevant team members.

Can Digital Innovation Be Done Remotely?

Yes, digital innovation can (and should!) be done remotely. Companies should be putting in extra efforts during this time to ensure that their commitment to digital transformation remains solid, even whilst they work remotely.

The best ways that companies can carry out innovation remotely are:

• Choose a technology partner who will support you

When carrying out this important work remotely, it is more important than ever that you trust the people you work with. Anyone can be a vendor, but you need a digital technology partner who is there for you every step of the way.

• Have a designated project manager

The problem with digital innovation and ideation is that everyone has their own take on it. Managing these opinions and ideas is easier in person, whereas online it can be tricky to listen to and manage so many voices. Having a designated project manager and decision maker eases this burden and helps move things along at a good pace.

• Keep communication open

Working remotely is all about communication. It is essential that we communicate – sometimes even over communicate – with our teams when we carry out digital innovation remotely. 

Are you ready to start your digital innovation journey? Our services help you take your idea from conception to fruition with ease. Get in touch now to discuss your plans with one of our team members.