The proposed methodology is particularly important, because many people are simply tired of classical project approaches based upon detailed use-case analysis and process modelling. They are open to new approaches, but do not know precisely how to gather speed and maintain direction at the same time. We therefore present an approach based on modelling of the business purpose as the starting point and then breaking it down to capabilities and services (or microservices). The specification of services can be refined over several iterations, as requirements become clearer. Furthermore, adoption of DevOps[1] (for concept-to-production life-cycle automation) combined with a suitable Agile[2] (for highly iterative development) project methodology on top of this servicebased decomposition enhances the ability to create tangible versions of the product rapidly and frequently. This approach allows an understanding of requirements at an appropriate level as and when it is needed. At the same time, functional order is preserved, which is necessary for productivity and reduction of complexity. The approach also allows for an assessment of every project’s strategic contribution.

This means that digital project portfolio management can ensure that every individual project fits into the target architecture and meets the aspirations of the digital strategy. This includes, for example, use of the digital backbone, adherence to technology standards or contributing to HR campaigns such as the acquisition of strategic know-how within the staff. And best of all: the methodology is amazingly fast.

The next four sections of this chapter discuss the topic of ‘digital trust’. This topic is still seriously undervalued. Companies often ignore the fact that trust is the glue that holds social groups together. As we have defined previously, digitalisation is the enablement of efficient communication in social groups based on digital media. Therefore it is evident that digital communication must be built upon a solid – i.e. trustworthy – foundation. If companies neglect this fact, customers and employees will select a more trustworthy offering. Digital assets such as login credentials or payment records must be protected with the same care as physical assets. Digital assets can be stolen, tampered with, abused or destroyed, quickly and with minimal physical effort. The digital presence of customers, employees and business partners continues to increase and consequently so does the digital ‘attack surface area’. 

Identity is the most fundamental pillar of establishing digital trust.

In any digital relationship, you must know who has produced or consumed a digital asset. Putting a focus on digital trust has a dramatic impact on the design principles of our products and it completely changes the way we need to perceive IT security. Instead of being a burden, security is a feature that pays out over the long term. Successful businesses consist of hundreds of microservices, which are often shared across data centres and interact with a variety of ecosystems of trusted partners, such as suppliers and resellers. Digital players must learn to fulfil various security and compliance requirements to become ‘part of the game’.

The final four sections of the chapter discuss the topic of data. As many people say, ‘data is the fuel of digitalisation’. Therefore it is no wonder that managing this asset constitutes a whole new discipline of its own in day-to-day business. This is similar to the Industrial Revolution where the first enterprises had to learn to manage labour or capital as assets. Company master data and transactional data have been processed digitally since the sixties. Two decades later, the same data was increasingly used for ex-post analysis. 

Now – at the advent of the digital age – prediction of future market behaviour and automated individual decision-making in real time are becoming new data disciplines.