Answer extracted from the The Conference Room with Simon Lader podcast — listen to the full episode below.
What is the true definition of digital transformation beyond simply implementing software?
Digital transformation is not about buying new software—it's about examining and streamlining your actual operations first. If a process takes 27 steps, you need to simplify it before digitizing it; otherwise, you're just automating a broken workflow.
Most organizations approach transformation backward. They identify a problem, buy software, and expect the issue to vanish. Instead, what happens is a messy manual process gets replicated exactly in digital form, complete with all its original inefficiencies.
The correct sequence, as explained in the episode, is deliberate: process first, then people, then technology. You must step back and ask hard questions about why a task requires so many steps in the first place.
Why technology always comes last
Many accidental CEOs and growing businesses accumulate 30, 40, or even 50 different software platforms without ever auditing whether they actually use them or if they serve their real needs. Technology decisions get made in isolation, without a clear understanding of the underlying process that needs to be supported.
Val Coyne recommends a structured rhythm: one full software audit annually and quarterly check-ins to track inventory and actual usage. This prevents the common trap where a business subscribes to a tool years ago and loses track of it—or discovers that the software has added 10 new features that no one in the organization knows exist or uses.
As Val Coyne observes, "Technology always, always, always comes last. Typically, first comes process, second comes people, and third comes technology." This principle cuts through the noise of vendor pitches and marketing hype.
"Technology always, always, always comes last. Typically, first comes process, second comes people, and third comes technology."
Val Coyne — Systems and Technology Strategist. Val began her career in hospitality, managing a family restaurant in Italy and later a chain of restaurants, bistros, bars and bakeries on Australia's Sunshine Coast. She transitioned into technology as a founding member of a startup building software for the disability sector, where she first learned to build scalable systems. She now works with C-suite executives to align technology, people, and process.
The real work of digital transformation happens before any software license is purchased. It's the unglamorous work of mapping workflows, identifying redundancy, and redesigning operations for clarity. Only when that foundation is solid does technology become an accelerant rather than a burden.
To hear more about how to structure this transformation at scale, and the specific methods Val Coyne uses with her clients, listen to the full episode.
Key takeaways
- Digital transformation requires process simplification before technology implementation, not the reverse.
- Growing businesses often accumulate 30–50 software platforms without auditing actual usage or relevance.
- A structured rhythm of annual full audits and quarterly check-ins prevents software waste and keeps your tech stack aligned with real needs.
- Technology is the third step—process comes first, people second—and acting on this sequence separates real transformation from costly automation of broken workflows.
See also
What early challenges did Dr. Sherry Zhang face as an immigrant pursuing higher education in the United States?
Dr. Zhang's visa was rejected three times before she could start her PhD at Marquette University in Wisconsin; her determination to overcome these barriers shaped her approach to building resilient, scalable systems later in her career.
What is the vision behind the new AI-native health platform Dr. Sherry Zhang is building at Buck Institute?
Rather than asking the reactive question 'What's wrong with you today,' the platform asks proactive questions like 'Where is your health headed?' to shift healthcare from diagnosis-focused to trajectory-focused outcomes.
How should founders structure internal communication to avoid meeting overload while maintaining alignment?
Dr. Zhang implements a cadenced communication structure: daily standups of 15 minutes for urgent issues and blockers; weekly touchbase meetings around specific topics to ensure clarity without unnecessary overhead.