Sustaining Digital Transformation Value: Leveraging Application & Infrastructure Management Services (AIMS) with the DTI
The Challenge: Sustaining Momentum After Digital Transformation
Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. While organizations invest significant resources to modernize platforms, reimagine customer experiences, and unlock new value streams, the real challenge often begins after the initial implementation. Studies show that up to 87.5% of digital transformation initiatives fail to achieve their intended objectives, with the greatest erosion of value occurring during the post-implementation phase. This is when the momentum can stall, knowledge can be lost, and the return on investment (ROI) can diminish.
Why does this happen? Common pitfalls include:
- Loss of critical knowledge as transformation teams transition out and support is handed over to internal or third-party IT teams.
- Siloed operations between product, support, and business teams, leading to slower issue resolution and missed opportunities for improvement.
- Lack of continuous measurement and improvement, resulting in stagnation and a gradual decline in digital maturity.
To address these challenges, organizations need a robust approach that not only delivers transformation but also sustains and grows its value over time. This is where the combination of the Digital Transformation Index (DTI) and Application & Infrastructure Management Services (AIMS) from Publicis Sapient becomes a game-changer.
The DTI: Your Ongoing Compass for Digital Maturity
The Digital Transformation Index (DTI) is a holistic, evidence-based framework designed to measure and benchmark digital maturity across three core pillars:
- Value Creation & Exchange (including digital strategy, customer-centricity, and governance)
- Operating Model (agile ways of working, cross-functional alignment, organizational structure)
- Data & Technology (data availability, analytics, tech infrastructure)
The DTI uses a five-point maturity scale—from Digital Novice to Best-in-Class—to provide a clear, actionable roadmap for continuous improvement. It is not just a one-time assessment; it is a tool for ongoing measurement, helping organizations:
- Identify strengths and gaps
- Benchmark against industry standards
- Prioritize investments
- Track progress over time
By integrating DTI assessments into regular operations, organizations can ensure that digital maturity is not a static achievement but a dynamic, evolving capability.
AIMS: The Engine for Sustained Value and Operational Excellence
Application & Infrastructure Management Services (AIMS) from Publicis Sapient are purpose-built to prevent the post-implementation value erosion that plagues so many digital initiatives. AIMS ensures that the knowledge, context, and momentum built during transformation are not lost, but instead become the foundation for ongoing excellence.
How AIMS Sustains and Grows Digital Value
- Knowledge Continuity: AIMS involves support engineers and experts during the transformation phase, ensuring that the team managing your systems post-launch has deep, first-hand knowledge of the platform. This prevents the loss of critical insights and enables faster, more effective troubleshooting.
- Faster Issue Resolution: Because the same experts who built your systems are involved in ongoing support, issues are diagnosed and resolved more quickly, reducing mean time to resolve (MTTR) and minimizing business disruption.
- Proactive Performance Monitoring: AIMS leverages advanced tools and platforms—such as the Sustain Engineering Platform (StEP)—to provide a unified view of system health, automate monitoring, and enable self-healing capabilities. This proactive approach ensures that potential issues are identified and addressed before they impact users.
- Continuous Improvement: By regularly tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs), AIMS teams can identify trends, uncover improvement opportunities, and implement enhancements that keep your digital platforms at peak performance.
Integrating DTI and AIMS: A Blueprint for Continuous Digital Excellence
The true power of this approach lies in the integration of DTI assessments with AIMS operations. Here’s how transformation leaders and operations executives can maximize ROI and sustain digital maturity gains:
- Embed DTI Assessments into Ongoing Operations
- Schedule regular DTI check-ups (e.g., quarterly or biannually) to measure progress, recalibrate priorities, and ensure alignment with evolving business goals.
- Use DTI insights to inform AIMS priorities, focusing on areas where digital maturity is lagging or where new opportunities have emerged.
- Foster a Post-Implementation Partnership
- Maintain a close relationship with your transformation partner post-launch. This ensures that the team supporting your systems understands both the technical and business context, driving better outcomes.
- Leverage AIMS as an extension of your transformation team, not just a support function. This partnership model enables shared accountability for outcomes and continuous value delivery.
- Drive Continuous Improvement and Innovation
- Use the DTI to benchmark against industry leaders and set ambitious, measurable goals for digital maturity.
- Empower AIMS teams to propose and implement enhancements—whether it’s automating manual processes, optimizing cloud usage, or introducing new analytics capabilities.
- Regularly review performance data and user feedback to identify and act on improvement opportunities.
The Results: Sustained Digital Maturity and Maximized ROI
- Reduced value erosion post-implementation, with knowledge and momentum preserved
- Faster, more reliable operations thanks to expert-led support and proactive monitoring
- Continuous digital maturity gains, as regular DTI assessments drive ongoing improvement
- Greater agility and resilience, enabling organizations to adapt quickly to market changes and new opportunities
Take the Next Step
Sustaining digital transformation value requires more than a successful launch—it demands a commitment to continuous measurement, improvement, and partnership. By leveraging the DTI as your compass and AIMS as your engine, you can ensure that your digital investments deliver lasting impact and operational excellence.
Ready to unlock the full potential of your digital transformation? Connect with Publicis Sapient to learn how DTI and AIMS can help you sustain and grow your digital value, now and in the future.