Amazon delivery | Rome 345 AD

A quick allegory regarding digital transformation. 

You have a thriving delivery business based in Rome, 345 AD.  Imagine that you are the first company to introduce, what will become Amazon delivery centuries from now, a package service.  Your route is a bit treacherous, filled with small rises and many rocks.  As he wipes the sweat from his brow, a glance to the right reveals the perfect route, straight, flat and rock free.  Each day, as you push and pull, you dream about one day figuring out how to cut through the thick vegetation and open a faster and more efficient path. 

One afternoon, while eating lunch on the side of the road, your buddy Flavius sits down to visit with you awhile.  Quintus, my friend, you have to check out my new set of wheels.  Flavius continues; "my cousin returned from his long journey, back from Mesopotamia, where he found these round wheels".  Standing in complete shock, Quintus could not believe his eyes, and more importantly imagined how much more efficient his deliveries would be once he swapped out his square wheels for rounds ones.  This changes everything!

As the newness of the round wheels wears off Quintus realizes that, while the round wheels are nice, it has only impacted his business incrementally.  Not to mention, all of the other carts now have round wheels as his friend Flavius' new business the "Big Stone Wheel" shop seemed to be gaining traction (pun intended) in the market.  Day after day, Quintus still wonders, if I could, get through that vegetation imagine the opportunity it would bring.  It's a story that has stood the test of time, you are in your business, working all angles to provide value, who has time to figure out how to use the new tools and explore un-chartered paths?

Modern interpretation

1. Paragraph one:  Your gut tells you that something can be done; however, you struggle to express those feelings or thoughts into action.  A classic example of the right-side of your brain (feelings and visualization) failing to communicate with the left side of your brain (logic, action, words).
2. Paragraph two:  The move to the cloud for many, sadly stops at the use of email and file management.  This is more akin to catching up then leading…
3. Paragraph three:  Deploying cloud platforms does not quench the thirst of those trying to answer the question "if I could".  Today the tools provided, many times with your email and file management, are very robust and ready for you to leverage. 

Ask yourself, is your world digitally flat?

Your cloud platform users have an itch that can't be scratched, they are individually wondering, "if I could" do this or that with these tools, imagine how much better my work experience would be…