747: Continuous Improvement as the Cure for Transformation Fatigue W/ Joël Collin-Demers
Oct 28, 2024
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Joël Collin-Demers, Consulting Principal at Pure Procurement, brings his expertise in procurement digitization to the conversation. He discusses how continuous improvement, rather than traditional overhaul, can combat transformation fatigue. Joël emphasizes the need for a strategic, incremental approach to digital journeys. He provides insights on navigating the complex procurement tech landscape and highlights the importance of collaboration between procurement and IT. Listeners learn about starting small in tech transformations and the significance of establishing a clear technology roadmap.
Continuous improvement, rather than a one-off transformation, enables procurement teams to incrementally build technology capabilities aligned with business processes.
Establishing a structured technology roadmap that considers both procurement and IT objectives is essential for effective digital transformation strategies.
Deep dives
The Intersection of IT and Procurement
The speaker discusses the convergence of IT and procurement as a significant area of focus in modern procurement practices. Joel shares his journey transitioning from an IT background into procurement, emphasizing the importance of understanding both domains to effectively drive digital transformation. He highlights the need for procurement teams to develop tech roadmaps that align with overall business objectives, rather than acting solely on IT-led initiatives. By establishing a structured approach to digitization, including the implementation of a spend cube, organizations can accurately identify spend patterns and prioritize opportunities for savings and improvements.
Developing Effective Tech Roadmaps
Organizations are encouraged to create clear technology roadmaps to guide their procurement digital transformation strategies. Joel stresses that many procurement organizations often lack defined tech roadmaps and instead rely on IT-driven processes, which may not effectively address specific procurement needs. He suggests that CPOs should link their procurement objectives directly to the company's overall mission and vision, ensuring that their strategies are aligned and actionable. This alignment enables procurement teams to implement initiatives that leverage technology to enhance productivity and achieve objectives efficiently.
Overcoming IT Constraints in Procurement
The podcast emphasizes the necessity for strong collaboration between procurement and IT departments to overcome integration challenges. Joel points out that procurement professionals should develop a comprehensive understanding of IT constraints, such as integration capabilities and resource availability, to build strong partnerships. Efforts to create user communities and prioritization committees that include stakeholders from various business units are crucial for successfully advancing shared objectives. By fostering an inclusive environment, procurement teams can ensure their technological needs are well represented while simultaneously addressing IT concerns.
Shifting Mindsets Towards Continuous Improvement
The discussion highlights the importance of adopting a mindset focused on continuous improvement rather than drastic transformations within procurement organizations. Joel emphasizes starting small, such as tracking process improvement ideas on an Excel sheet, instead of waiting for large-scale technology implementations. This approach allows teams to gain insights into pain points and prioritize enhancements based on business needs. By gradually refining processes, procurement professionals can build momentum and develop a clearer vision for their technology roadmap while actively engaging in the discussion of potential future technologies.
“You have to build a business case and be mindful and purposeful about your continuous improvement and your education around the art of what is possible.” Joël Collin-Demers, Consulting Principal at Pure Procurement The rapid expansion in the procurement technology landscape in recent years has left many procurement leaders feeling overwhelmed by choice and complexity and second-guessing themselves about how to successfully take advantage of all the opportunities that technology provides.
In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Joël Collin-Demers, Consulting Principal at Pure Procurement, about why continuous improvement, rather than transformation, might be the key to successful procurement digitization.
Joël explains how the tendency to view transformation as a means to a clearly defined endpoint often leads to overwhelmed teams and unrealized value. Instead of a one-off digital transformation overhaul, he advocates for a measured, strategic approach that starts with understanding business processes and builds technology capabilities incrementally over a sustained period of time.In this episode, Joel and Philip explore:
Practical steps on how to embark on a digitization journey and develop an effective procurement technology roadmap, no matter where you’re starting from
How to navigate trends and changes in the procure tech market, including full-suite versus single-point solutions
How to leverage the relationship between procurement and IT to overcome constraints to digitization