Bridging Strategy & Execution

Why do 70% of digital transformation projects fail? In this episode, we reveal how successful companies bridge the gap between strategy and execution with the Digital Execution Framework. Discover the key roles, processes, and principles that turn big ideas into real-world results. Whether you’re a CIO, transformation leader, or business strategist, you’ll gain practical insights to drive growth and innovation. Tune in and learn how to execute transformation with confidence. 

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Transcript

Strategy-Execution Gap

Think about the last big digital project your company took on. How did it go? If you're like most organizations, it probably didn't quite deliver what you hoped. And you're not alone. A strategy without execution is just an idea, and an idea alone changes nothing. 

The real power lies in the ability to turn vision into reality—where leadership, discipline, and adaptability transform plans into progress. In business, success isn’t about having the best strategy on paper; it’s about making it work in the real world. We're seeing it everywhere. 61% of corporate strategists - that's nearly two-thirds - say poor execution is killing their growth initiatives. Not bad strategy. Not lack of funding. Execution.

Digital Transformation Stats

And when it comes to digital transformation? The numbers are even more striking. 70% of these projects fail. Seven out of ten. But here's where it gets interesting - the companies that succeed? They've cracked a code. They're 2.5 times more likely to put technology at the heart of their strategy, not just treat it as an afterthought. Let me share what these successful companies are doing differently. 

Main Mendix Framework  

Mendix calls it the Digital Execution Framework. It's not just another business methodology - it's a practical bridge between your big ideas and actual results. Let's break this down in a way that makes sense. At the top, we've got what matters most - your Digital Transformation goals. Think of this as your North Star. What are you really trying to achieve? Better customer experience? Faster time to market? More efficient operations? Now, here's where it gets good. See these two sections? This is where business meets technology. On one side, you've got your vision and program governance - your "what and why." On the other, you've got your technical governance - your "how." Finally working together, not fighting each other. Right in the middle - this is where the magic happens. Your delivery teams, your operations. These are the people turning those big ideas into reality. But here's the key - they're not working in isolation anymore. Look at these building blocks at the bottom. Your foundation - think of it as your playbook. Development standards, deployment strategies, the nuts and bolts that keep everything running smoothly. And your experts? They're your specialists, focused on things like security, user experience, cloud infrastructure - making sure every aspect of your solution is top-notch.

Key Roles

Now, let's talk about who makes all this work. It's not just about having a framework - it's about having the right people in the right roles. Your Program Owner? They're your orchestra conductor. They're making sure everyone's playing from the same sheet of music, managing stakeholders, tracking value, keeping the whole program on track. Your Enterprise Architect is thinking big picture. Where does each piece fit? How does it all work together? They're making sure your technology choices today set you up for success tomorrow. Then there's your Executive Sponsor - your champion at the top. Usually a C-level leader who understands both the business need and the technical potential. They're making sure you've got the resources and support you need to succeed. Your Technical Leader is where the rubber meets the road. They're guiding your development teams, setting standards, making sure the technical execution matches the strategic vision. And surrounding all of this? Your experts. Think security specialists, UI/UX designers, cloud architects, testing pros - each bringing deep expertise to their specific domain.

Center of Excellence structure

Now, here's where it all comes together - your Center of Excellence. Think of it as your transformation engine room. It's where governance meets innovation, where standards meet creativity. But here's something interesting - no two Centers of Excellence look exactly alike. Why? Because they need to match your organization's unique needs and structure. What works for a global manufacturing company might not work for a regional healthcare provider.

5 Ps

This whole system runs on what we call the 5 Ps. Let me break them down: 

• People - finding and enabling the right talent
• Process - embracing rapid, iterative delivery
• Portfolio - managing strategically aligned software
• Platform - selecting scalable technology
• Promotion - sharing successes and driving adoption

Implementation Journey

Now, I know what you're thinking - this sounds great, but how do we actually get started? Well, we break it down into three stages. We begin with Start. This is where you get your first wins. One team, one application, focused on delivering real value. It's about learning, adapting, proving what's possible. Then we move to Structure. This is where those early successes become repeatable processes. You're documenting what works, building your playbook, expanding your team.

Finally, we reach Scale. This is where transformation really takes off. Your Center of Excellence is humming, teams are delivering consistently, and the impact is being felt across the organization.

Success metrics dashboard

Let me show you what this looks like in practice. Organizations using this framework are seeing incredible results. We're talking 75% reduction in development time. Companies delivering 40+ applications in just two years. Some have deployed hundreds of applications enterprise-wide.

Practical implementation diagram

But perhaps most importantly, they're delivering the right solutions - ones that actually solve business problems and drive value. Take one of our clients who started small - one team, one application. Within months, they'd proven the concept. Within a year, they had multiple teams delivering solutions across their business. Here's what it all comes down to. Transformation isn't just about having the right technology - it's about having the right framework for execution. It's about bridging that gap between your big ideas and actual results. So let me ask you - what could your organization achieve if you could execute transformation with confidence? If you could turn those strategies into reality? The gap between strategy and execution isn't going to close itself. At the heart of every transformation lies a simple truth—execution is the great divider between vision and impact. 

Main Mendix Framework 

The organisations that thrive aren’t the ones with the most ambitious plans, but the ones that can turn those plans into reality, consistently and at scale. Because in the end, it’s not ideas that change industries. It’s execution. And those who master it shape the future.