"There is no time for digitization" - a survey of companies has revealed. The political world is going against it with "Economy 4.0". Making excuses does more to serve as an alibi than act as a chance to see strategic opportunities in the topic of digital transformation. "IT can do everything", says a platform architect from one of the largest players in the market. Finding an attitude and taking responsibility is something spoken about by far too few.

Agile and digital work will demand more from people than ever before, whether we are "digital immigrants" or "digital natives". Being "digital" is in and being a part of it is everything, because, after all, everyone has a smartphone!

Printing, faxing, scanning, filing, talking, meeting is so last season. Today, we are mobile, digital, virtual and active in the chatroom, ready for social media around the clock. Everyone? More than 50% view digitalization as being the sending of emails. "Digital transformation" - what is THAT? Do I want it?

Yes, very much, but what will it involve for me? Fears and false expectations come included as a side order, free of charge. The Human 4.0 sends its greetings!?

More and more people are encountering digital information in their business lives, discovering ever more opportunities, instead of only seeing risks. They are thinking about the potentials in information exchange, rather than merely completing their daily tasks with tunnel vision. That is why we need reliably documented and audit-proof collaboration between employees, with respectful dealings being a prerequisite, of course. And I am already curious about how I can adapt my "desk" as a configurable arrangement of a platform (software), so that I can work to my individual best. My responsibility to handle information safely, find it, and share it in the team, if possible, is another area of great interest. IT promises something, we have to believe it!

This is why, above all, trust in the digital world has to be created. Through transparency and commitment, as well as integrating and modelling human, intuitive behavior into digital processes. To introduce a binding, company-wide information and knowledge management system in (semi)automated organizational processes, that is revision-proof and compliant actually corresponds to the desires of the HHM, the healthy human mind. From the past, however, we know that a good Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) can only be lived by a motivated employee. Not "Big Data" and "bits and bobs". Rather, we should use the creativity, the willingness to change and, above all, the commitment of the employees in the organization to make good, sustainable decisions and, from them, to derive organizational, action and change management. In the team, fast, transparent, binding, measurable!

Economy 4.0 or not, WE are the ones facing the challenge to take the vision of "Office 5.0" - the paperless organization - and not only experience the digital transformation, but also to shape it. Whether you are a "digital immigrant" or "digital native" - simply become a "smart - in the centre of everything, instead of just digital" explorer and not only dream of the future, but be there and experience it, as that is just so much better!!

Your empathetic digital immigrant (Generation X)
Steffen Schaar