Antje König: Rethink Digitalization - What Is Really of Value Is Determined by Us as Human Beings

In this interview with Antje König, Managing Director and founder of HoValorem GmbH, Lean-Agile Leader, and Executive Coach, we explore the transformative power of digitalization, which should be driven by high human values. Antje König shares practical steps for managers who want to infuse their organizations with this human-centric approach, drawing on her wealth of experience. From rethinking process and requirements analysis and technology selection to fostering transparent communication, Antje offers valuable guidance for any organization that wants to put the human side of digitalization at the center. 

You are passionate about rethinking digitalization and putting value definition in the hands of the people. Can you give some practical steps that managers can take to incorporate this perspective into their digital transformation strategies?

Here, I suggest using the 10 principles of value-based engineering developed by Prof. Dr. Spiekermann at the University of Vienna as a foundation. Some of my key highlights are: 

• Take responsibility for the entire system you aim to transform, encompassing the entire supply chain and IT ecosystem, along with any associated services. 
• Personally and publicly uphold the values you stand for, demonstrating them through action. 
• Practice effective stakeholder management, involving all relevant direct and indirect stakeholders in your initiatives, including users, employees, and organizations, and considering the impact on nature and the environment. 
• Demonstrate the courage to oppose investments or partnerships that do not align with your core values or cannot guarantee adherence to essential principles such as transparency in human rights compliance, data protection, and ensuring fair wages. 

Additionally, focus not only on technical requirements but also on gathering input from all stakeholders. With this holistic approach, you can consider the human perspective rather than merely adopting the latest technology trends. Instead of starting directly with technology, begin by understanding the purpose behind your actions. This journey starts with identifying requirements and leads to the design of the desired product. 

It’s not merely about functionality or digitalization; it’s crucial to question why improvements are necessary. Are these enhancements beneficial for us as individuals? Do they contribute to a better quality of life? Our objective isn’t to be dominated by technology but to utilize it to enhance our work, products, or systems. This represents a shift in mindset towards digital transformation.  

Why is digitalization based on people and values important?

Because it’s about our future, we have to decide if we want to depend on technology or if we want to shape our own destiny, determining how we want to live.  

We’ve evolved from a time, I’m not sure when, perhaps during the onset of industrialization, when everything new was perceived as an improvement. However, today, not everything new or achievable necessarily represents progress. If we genuinely wish to shape our future and harness the potential of technology, we must actively engage in its creation. In recent years, we’ve allowed events to unfold without much consideration, leading to dependence. 

That’s why mindset is crucial. We must contemplate the reasons behind our actions: are we simply complying with regulations, or are we striving to innovate and improve? It would be preferable if regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation, the Supply Chain Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the EU AI Act were not solely relied upon as control-punishment mechanisms. Instead, they could serve more as avenues for knowledge transfer, providing advice, fostering ideas, and offering implementation support. 

It is important that the digital products, systems, services, etc. that we all build, use, and develop help us to preserve human freedom and privacy, contribute to respect, help to build and expand human knowledge, and support social interaction.  

With that perspective in mind, how can leaders effectively assess and select the right technologies for their organization’s digitalization journey?

Ask yourself: What do I want to improve? What is the task or goal I want to achieve? The first step is to figure this out, followed by an assessment of the organization’s current maturity level. For example, if the company still relies heavily on manual processes and methods, the first step would be to understand the processes and decide based on this where automation makes sense. In other words, where things can be done better by machines than by people. This can then be used to decide which type of digitalization is useful and helpful or best supports the task. So, the question is: do we digitalize conventionally either by introducing new software or by upgrading existing software, by traditional programming, or by using machine learning algorithms? 

When introducing new software or upgrades, we could, for example, consider introducing RPA, Copilot, or something similar. If I can describe my task comprehensively based on rules, I use classic programming. If the problem is too extensive and can no longer be comprehensively described in a rule-based way, as with a recipe, I try to describe what I need with the help of examples and machine learning algorithms. The basic prerequisite for a decision in favor of machine learning is a clearly formulated goal and it must be ensured that sufficient high-quality training data is available. 

The involvement of all stakeholders in the process is crucial for the acceptance of the digitalization project. This also includes the involvement of people who are critical of change, as this can only make a product better in the end. 

Even if not all stakeholders need to be involved in the final decision-making process, it is essential to include as many points of view as possible in order to develop the best possible product. Transparency and full participation are key to success. 

How can managers effectively communicate the value of digitalization initiatives to their employees, including those who may be sceptical or resistant to change?

In my experience, this works best with practical examples, projects, and processes from your own environment or company, because this is where there is the greatest connection and identification. In other words, in a very practical way, by grabbing relevant topics in the company and simply doing this at the beginning under experienced guidance, experiencing it, understanding it, and also involving the skeptics as stakeholders. 

What do you recommend managers do to measure the effectiveness of employee-led digitalization initiatives, particularly regarding quantifiable metrics and qualitative feedback?

I understand if this response may not fully address your concerns, particularly if you have a background in traditional business management. If I focus on value potential, then it’s not only about effectiveness but about good holistic solutions. The great technological developments, the flood of data, algorithms, and constantly growing computing power are having a fundamental impact on us as a society. We are talking about the impending loss of jobs, shifts in power structures, ecological effects, blurred boundaries between man and machine, and more. It’s not just about, for example, automating everything we can just because we can and it’s supposedly effective. It’s about using the advantages of technology in our favor and consciously putting a stop to the negative effects. We as human beings should take center stage again and not the return on investment or key figures on the degree of automation. 

What do you hope attendees will take away from your keynote at the Executive Day Germany?

One of the key messages I want to get across is the importance of a human-centric approach to our goals, putting real progress at the forefront and putting people at the center of digitalization efforts. I also believe in the importance of empowering individuals in order to create better understanding and, based on this, design better and more appropriate solutions. 

Finally, I would like to sensitize people to the fact that we should use technologies in such a way that they strengthen and support us and do not drive us into dependencies. I want us to be able to steer, use, and control current developments in our favor so that they can serve us humans and also contribute to our future well-being. 

*The interview answers have been edited for length and clarity.