With every new year, new technology is introduced and the digital age continues to develop. A decade or two ago it was O.K. to be adamant about taking your business into the digital playing field, though today it’s almost a necessity to compete. Granted, not everyone is tech-savvy, though the need for digital dexterity is a must in the modern business environment.

What is digital dexterity, and why does it matter? Dave Schafer at Trello defines the term simply as the ability of your organization and its staff to adapt to changes in technology. Digital dexterity is important to have as it is a powerful competitive advantage for any business in any industry that possesses it. With the best example of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many businesses and employees to work remotely from home, the shift to this type of technology was either embraced immediately or had many struggle for a long time to adapt properly to these changes. Those who embraced digital dexterity in their organizations were most likely the former. In practice, Schafer points out the organizations that have high digital dexterity tend to have some qualities in common, such as tending to be forward-thinking, take the digital-first approach, have a flexible mindset, willing to adapt, and make data-driven decisions.

Now that you are familiarized with this new buzzword, Schafer shares 4 tips to help foster digital dexterity into your organization.

1. Locate And Strengthen The “Weak Links” In Your Organization. “Not all of your employees have the same skillset – and that’s a good thing. However, it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to basic tech skills and computer literacy. If people are struggling to adapt, help them by offering training programs, incentives to encourage growth, or by mentoring and teaming up members to help each other with different skillsets.”
2. Emphasize Organizational Clarity And Transparency. “When employees need to constantly adapt to changing technology, clarity on the purpose of each piece of technology should be paramount. The more confusion present, the less productive workers will be, and more resistance to future changes will brew. One great way to do this is to document your workflows.  This can be a time-consuming process, but the results are often very worthwhile.”
3. Shift The Focus From How This Benefits The Business To How It Benefits The Individual Employee. “Digital dexterity is a concept that can have transformative impacts on an organization but can seem inconvenient and troublesome to employees on an individual level. One way you can help combat this is to reframe digital dexterity and show your team why it matters to them as individuals. By giving your team a sense of personal investment in the process, you also give them an incentive to dive in and see it through to completion.”
4. Develop Digital Dexterity “Ambassadors” To Reinforce The Importance And Coach Peers. “Some of your team members are likely much more comfortable in a digital environment and are able to adapt much faster. Leverage these employees! They can become powerful ambassadors and teachers among your other team members.”

The ultimate goal for your organization, Schafer concludes, should be to have digital dexterity ingrained in the company culture. Not only will this be a competitive advantage, but with the current economy and status of the pandemic, can be a time and money-saver if the workforce temporarily shifts once more.

Original post by Dave Schafer from Trello.

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The education sector has significantly changed over the past few decades. Yet, the push for a more digitized learning environment didn’t get tested until the COVID-19 forced students into remote learning. Now, even as many schools have returned to on campus learning, the “Education  Technology”, or EdTech environment has found a semi-permanent place in the education space. According to Forbes, the value of the educational technology (EdTech) sector is forecast to grow to $680 million by 2027. Much of this, Forbes says, will be due to mobile technology, cloud services and virtual reality creating new possibilities for accessible, immersive learning. International best-selling author, keynote speaker and business expert Bernard Marr shares an article on Forbes highlighting some of the most important EdTech trends affecting the education sector over the next 12 months:

Remote learning. “The coronavirus pandemic forced many schools and colleges to switch to a remote learning model. E-learning offers school-age students the possibility of learning subjects and skills that are not taught locally, while for those in higher education, the benefits include allowing them to more easily fit learning around other commitments such as work or family responsibilities.”

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