Artificial intelligence (AI) is the "defining opportunity" of our generation. Yet an alarming 88% of transformations fail. From machine learning to reduce customer churn, to AI for product management, and GenAI to boost productivity, this technology provides a real opportunity to help you leapfrog the competition and get ahead in an increasingly competitive market.
So, how can you accelerate your organisation's successful AI-driven transformation?
The AI Transformation Specialist Apprenticeship (L4) will equip your team with the cutting-edge skills needed to leverage AI responsibly and drive accelerated business outcomes. This programme is designed by expert lecturers and tutors from the top universities and leading data-driven organisations. It will empower your employees to identify high-impact opportunities for AI implementation, to manage complex AI projects, and lead organisational change.
The hard truth is that the majority of transformations fall short of their initial expectations. But there are endless reasons behind this failure. For example:
- Failure to attach a compelling 'why’ to the transformation.
- Failure to set data-driven and achievable targets.
- Failure to engage key stakeholders and users.
- Failure to communicate and sustain momentum.
- Failure to change ways of working.
In essence, transformation fails because organisations jump in before they're ready.
So, how does an apprenticeship prepare you to ensure you don't become another statistic?
Stay driven by your business goals
At Cambridge Spark, we set the gold standard. To date, we have generated £350m+ in ROI for our clients. The reason for our success is that every programme is delivered with one eye on the learner's business. This means learners are taught the theory and then immediately put that learning into practice, either through off the job training or via our online learning platform, EDUKATE.AI.
As part of the curriculum on the AI Transformation Specialist Apprenticeship (L4), learners will examine the crucial role business analysts play in driving AI adoption. Without this insight, you risk adopting new technologies because you can, not because they help you move the strategic dials within your business.
It's only once you know what you need to achieve that you can start to develop future state operating models with AI enhancements, and know the actions needed to implement them. When you start by looking at the bigger picture of success, it helps you to prioritise use cases and secure buy-in from across the business, because you have a strong 'why' attached to the transformation. Furthermore, your people will feel like the transformation is achievable and see the role they have to play in the change.
Deliver effective communication
According to a scientific study of failed transformation projects, there are 4 key themes for why these efforts failed: Technology. Innovation. Management. Information systems. However, the common thread that pulls these failures together is communication - or rather, a lack of it. For example:
- Technology: lack of awareness about the current market trends, and therefore resistance to new technology adoption.
- Innovation: lack of coordinated ideas across cross-functional teams.
- Management: lack of proper training and ongoing communication.
- Information systems: lack of defined and assigned roles.
Effective communication strategies are essential for data transformation success because without them, there's significant room for error. For example, a lack of clarity could cause confusion and resistance among employees. While overly complicated, jargon-filled messaging could lead to misunderstandings of the benefits.
Interested to learn more about how to craft effective communication strategies?
While technical knowledge is crucial to deliver transformation projects, the benefit of an apprenticeship is it fosters softer skills too, like communication.
For transformation to be successful, people across the organisation need to feel like they've been on the journey with you, so they feel change is being done with them, not to them.
If you suddenly announce a new AI tool with the expectation of people immediately switching to a new way of working, you'll feel resistance and fail to secure user adoption. But if users are kept informed about what you're planning and why, are invited to provide feedback, and given regular updates, they're expecting the new tool and feel excited to start using it, because they understand the impact it will have on their workload.
The value of an apprenticeship is diving into the principles of engagement - including internal and external stakeholders and users - and learning techniques to identify and analyse their interests and influences, as well as how to build lasting, positive relationships.
Focus on continuous improvement
Every year, $2.3 trillion is wasted globally due to failed transformation programmes because leaders adopt the wrong approach. Traditionally, organisations have taken a 'big bang' approach, setting a substantial goal to be delivered 3-5 years in the future. But a lot can happen in that time, and the likelihood is that once you reach the deadline, the transformation will fail to be relevant.
Transformation isn't a 'one and done' activity. So, rather than view it as a tick box exercise, change your mindset to approach transformation as an ongoing process that's embedded into the rhythm of the business.
Now the focus becomes on specific use cases that deliver continuous value back to the business. When setbacks occur, you deal with them in the moment rather than allow them to derail change. Conflicts are less likely to arise because everyone is clear on both the business and their individual priorities. And there's no risk of spending millions on initiatives that are doomed to fail, because change is incremental and can quickly adapt to your changing environment.
By investing in the AI Transformation Specialist Apprenticeship (L4), you empower your team with core capabilities to approach transformation in the right way. For example, to understand how to identify, categorise, and prioritise both functional and non-functional requirements before designing new data and AI products. To get the foundations in place from the start, by looking at how to ensure quality data is used to develop new tools and inform decisions. And knowing how to use quality assurance techniques and business change impact assessments to evaluate success based on the impact to your people, processes, organisation, technology, and information.
Navigate the fast-changing AI world
The AI Transformation Specialist Apprenticeship (L4) keeps you one step ahead. By helping your people to master both the technical and strategic aspects of AI transformation, they remain uniquely positioned to deliver guaranteed ROI to your organisation in the rapidly evolving AI era.