Self-study Module: How do I write a digital strategy?

Write a digital strategy in 5 steps 

A strategy is not created alone and is not the same for every organization. Every organization has different focal points and possibilities. By involving the right people from various disciplines, your strategy takes shape. Discuss within your team what your starting points are and how you can elaborate on the steps below. Also, involve the rest of your organization at an early stage. This ensures that everyone in your organization becomes a true ambassador of your digital strategy!

Step 1: Where does your organization currently stand?

To start working on a digital strategy, it is important to first determine where your organization stands in the digital transformation. What steps have you already taken? And where can your organization further develop? Together with your team, take the Digital Transformation Scan (opens in new tab) to see where your organization currently stands. You will also receive advice on the next steps to take in your organization's digital transformation.

Use worksheet 1 to discuss the outcomes and implications.

Step 2: Which target audiences do you want to reach? 

Who are your main target audiences? The audience you want to reach determines your digital strategy. New generations have grown up digitally and have new desires when it comes to experiencing culture. Traditional audiences are aging, and digital also offers value for them. Does your organization already have knowledge about the audience of today and tomorrow? 

Get inspired by the content below and note your target audiences on worksheet 2.

This is how your audience thinks about culture

Take Gen Z, for example, a generation that fundamentally views the world differently and for whom digital is second nature. But also think about older audiences or those at a distance. Watch the video below to get an idea of who your future visitor is.

Step 3: What are your goals?

What goals do you want to achieve? And how will digital support you in this? Define your digital goals in line with your organization's vision. Consider how these goals contribute to new value creation. 

Make the goals as concrete as possible so that you can be sure your organization can execute them. Use worksheet 3 for this. For inspiration: The digital strategy of the Library of Congress (opens in new tab) sets clear goals. 

Step 4: What activities will you undertake?

What activities can you formulate for the goals? How do these activities contribute to your organization's digital ambitions? Discuss this using the DEN Focus Model (opens in new tab). This helps you turn the activities into an integrated process. Plot your activities on the focus model on worksheet 4. Discuss how these activities contribute to work in all quadrants of the focus model.

Step 5: What building blocks do you need? 

You have now formulated your goals and activities to strengthen your organization's digital transformation. The final step is to inventory what is needed to execute the digital strategy. Consider the deployment of people, financial resources, the desired organizational structure, and organizational culture.

• What does this mean for your organization and your audience?
• What will you need to invest in innovation capacity and digital skills?
• Can you leverage network collaboration to achieve your goals and activities?
• And is there digital leadership present to execute the digital strategy?

Develop your digital strategy and discuss it within your organization and with your network partners. This creates support to work together on digital transformation!

Finally: make your digital strategy an iterative process

The world is changing rapidly. By regularly evaluating your digital strategy, you can adjust in time and seize new opportunities. Create space for experimentation, and ensure that lessons learned are utilized for the next step in the digital transformation.

This module was developed in collaboration with Injoin (opens in new tab).