Episode #17 - How to a Implement a Successful IT and Digitalization Strategy in a 100 year-old co...

Computers now have primary control of critical vehicle functions.

Welcome to the IBM Keep It Simple Technology Podcast, where each episode we discuss technology, but in a simple way. We keep the explanations simple, but what we spend our time on is emphasizing what this technology means to you and how you can best utilize this technology for you and your business.

Welcome to the IBM Keep It Simple Technology Podcast. I'm your host, Thomas Anglero, again, Nordic Director of Innovation. I've got my own title. And today my special guest is Karen Ristebroten. I think I nailed that name this time. She's the Head of IT and Digital Development at Huntun, or Huntun in English if I want to destroy the name. Hi, Karen, how are you doing?

Thank you. I'm fine. Thank you for having me.

Thank you for being on the show. Karen, let's jump right into it because there's a lot of people out there who are in positions where they're like you. You're new to Hjuntun, right? Taking over IT here and you're taking over IT for a company according to the website is a little bit over 100 years old. Okay, there's a lot of people who are starting new jobs in companies that are quite old. So what is your top 3, 4 things? And you can talk about your industry and Hjuntun's into building buildings. Insulation, building materials, and all that, right? That's around, been around forever. Okay. And you come in as a new IT person. What is your top advice that you— how are you tackling this? And then for the people listening, they want to learn from you. How do you lead? And how do you go forward in such an old company when you're such a new person? Karen, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Wow.

Good. I got a wow out of you.

Wow. First of all, I think you have to sit down and think, what is IT? How does IT affect us? Right? I would say it's critical for the whole business. It's the 2020, we need it in everything we do. So, you have the IT and most likely an IT strategy, and then you have the technology and the digitization strategy, and that's not the same. So—

And let me interrupt you because that's really important. So the IT strategy and the digitalization strategy is not the same?

No, it's not the same. Because—

That's profound. See, go Carol.

Because in the IT strategy, I can say I'm the IT manager, I have control over the architecture, the servers, how we do things. The systems, you know, the IT operations.

The nuts and bolts, everything what we call old school IT. Yeah. Yes.

And we need that.

Absolutely.

But in the digitization strategy, it's all about how should we accomplish our goals using technology? How should we transform? How should we get better services? And so on and so on. And that affects the whole business that affects HR or production, economics, finance, everywhere, right? It hits hard everywhere. So, and that has to come through with the overall strategy in the organization.

So let me break it down and keep it really simple. So IT strategy is sort of like, um, that's the traditional IT of, well, all the printers should be connected to everybody, they should have access to it. I need to have access to my email, all the traditional IT stuff. That's IT strategy.

Yeah, right.

Okay. Digitalization is where are we going, how we're going to do that leveraging IT. But also digitalization can also include non-IT stuff too. It's kind of an open basket, right? So that's profound. And I think you don't know how many people are out there going, thank you, Caryn. But keep on with the advice. Didn't mean to interrupt you.

Go. Yes, and I think it's crucial when we are going to accomplish something with the overall strategy, we have to have everyone on board. Yeah. And when you represent IT and automation, for example, people get scared. Do I lose my job now?

Absolutely.

In manufacturing?

Absolutely.

That's a normal question. Do I have to do things otherwise? I think, I think it's important to acknowledge that people think technology is hard, even scary at some point. So I think getting everyone along on the basic principles, getting everyone along, listening to, because I can't help the production if I don't understand the production. Production, of course. So for me to understand what can we do better and what can we do better using technology, because we have a lot of great mechanics, right? And we need them. That's our whole maintenance team is mechanics, engineers, right? And I'm not going to replace them, but we are going to work together.

So let me break down what you're saying then. So what you're saying then is that as an IT person, don't come into the job and you can have a vision, a strategy, but the first thing you should do is go listen to them, go talk to them, go understand their world. How does their world work? How is their day situated? Where are they coming from? What perspective? What culture? And once you understand that, then you could try to marry that to your IT vision.

Yeah.

And then you can start a process. But don't be Mr. or Mrs. IT person, I'm gonna change the world. Be, listen, I'm here to learn who are you, how are you, right?

That's basically culture.

And that's the culture. That's incredibly important. So that's, that's two bits of gold nuggets of advice here. Yeah.

And the organizational culture, it's so important. We know that.

Yeah.

Right. Yeah. That's important. But I think we have to, take it further and start thinking the digital culture in the organization as well. And the maturity. Because if we skip that, we won't accomplish what we want at the end. Because I want our people to use all of the fancy stuff we're bringing in.

Right. So, you can't skip it.

No.

And that's important too. Don't skip any steps at all. One more thing, and I'm gonna challenge you on this. This is a tough one. And that is that time to accomplish your goals in a company that according to websites over 100 years old, I keep saying this thing, right? And moving them to a digital world with a digitalization strategy. Is this done overnight?

No, absolutely not.

And realize there's people listening to you right now going, how long is it gonna take, Karen? How long is it gonna take me to change these people?

Yes. I think that's very individual because I said the digital maturity, some are very far along, you know, and some quite behind. And I think we can actually accomplish anything if our employees want to. Right?

Right.

So, so I'm not sure I have a good answer to that, but what I've learned in, in Hinton is that I definitely saw some low-hanging fruits when I arrived. So, and of course, uh, some things are easier than, than other things. So, but the, the really big projects, the, the being data-driven, the— when, as soon as the organization wants that, it's just a matter of time, I think, before we can start. But I can't skip getting them along because then it's just me wanting to be data-driven. I mean, what's that?

So if I take everything you said together, and I think what you said is really important because you're emphasizing that to transform an organization you have to transform the culture.

Yes.

And to transform the culture, you have to spend time with the people. The factory workers, the mechanics. And these things will take time, of course. And over time, the organization, the culture will be ready. And when it is, you're ready and you're standing there and it's time to do it. Because there is no definitive number of how long it's going to take. But you have to also— you said, um, when you see a low-hanging fruit, go after it.

Yes, yes, right.

But in the back of your mind, or in the front of your mind, this is still gonna take time, right? Don't be disillusioned, right?

No, I think that's a good advice.

This is your advice. I'm just giving back to you. Karen Ristebroten, this has been fantastic. I really, really appreciate it. And I think you'd have a huge following of people saying thank you for Karen, for simplifying the headache I've had in this crazy company that I'm working in. Any last words, any last nuggets of gold wisdom you wanna share?

Well, back to the IT and digitalization strategy, I think, yes, we have to have the whole organization, but the management have to understand and want it as well. It's not enough that the IT manager wants to go further with this. And I think those organizations that embrace that I think they will have a huge advantage in the next couple of years. And we have a lot of emphasis in saying that and researching that, that the cultural, digital culture, well, you earn money on that. It's a huge advantage. Exactly.

So to summarize what you said there, which is really good, is that, you know, a lot of management companies or management organizations of companies are stuck in the old world, um, but when they eventually come around— and that could be the same people, or that could be a whole new management group of people, doesn't matter— but when eventually they come around, it is proven that that new digital organization, that is the success, that's the future. So yeah, yeah, that mindset, that mindset, that's— that was the perfect last drop of wisdom for everybody. Karen Christa Broughton, Head of IT and Digital Development in Høntum, I thank you so much for been on the IBM Keep It Simple Technology Podcast. Ladies and gentlemen, subscribe on Spotify, subscribe on iTunes, subscribe to podcasts everywhere, share with everybody. This is Thomas Anglero. Thank you so much, and until the next time, bye-bye for now.