Overview

Do you believe that a lot of industries will fundamentally change due to digital power in the upcoming 5 to 10 years? Do you believe that what often today has been called 'disruption' might happen to an industry of your specific interest? Do you believe in the value of becoming able to predict how that kind of change will evolve in order to do digital transformation and thereby avoid ending up with big problems in the future? Then this course is for you! In this nano-course, you will get an overview of how to implement digital transformation and the impact it has. If you find it interesting, then the full course on this topic is also available for you to follow: https://www.coursera.org/learn/doing-digital-transformation

Syllabus

Avoiding fundamental mistakes, ending up at a great place

This module introduces the idea that to navigate digital transformation, leaders must start with the right map. Through the story of Christopher Columbus and the evolution of the music industry - from CDs to streaming - you’ll learn why industries disrupt, how digital tools make systems more efficient, and why leaders often misinterpret what’s happening when they rely on outdated assumptions. The module helps you understand the patterns behind disruption, the “messy middle” of transformation, and how to build a clearer, more accurate map of the future to guide strategic decisions.

The overall reason for Digital Transformation

This module explores the full set of forces that must align for an industry to truly disrupt. While digitalisation is a key spark, it is only one part of a larger “combination lock” that includes shifting customer preferences, new kinds of actors, and innovative business models. Through examples from the music industry and beyond, you’ll learn why some sectors transform quickly while others lag behind, what triggers the final tipping point, and how leaders can anticipate change by understanding patterns like Moore’s Law and the practical realities of digital power. This module helps you see disruption as a multi‑factor process - and equips you to recognise when the pieces are falling into place.

A model for our digital future

This module introduces the “When the Rabbit Came to Australia” model - a powerful metaphor for understanding how industries become unbalanced and then reorganise into a new structure. You’ll explore how digitalisation acts as a disruptive newcomer (the rabbit), how existing industry ecosystems react, and why customer behaviour often becomes the final trigger for change. By examining technology (“the rabbit”), the current ecosystem (“Australia”), and the process of transformation (“the arrow”), you’ll learn how to build a realistic map of the future industrial landscape and anticipate how your own industry may evolve.

Doing Digital Transformation in practice

This module explores how leaders make decisions during deep industry change - when traditional ROI calculations and business cases no longer apply. You’ll learn why transformation often requires acting on informed belief rather than precise numbers, and why having a clear future target matters more than measuring “digital maturity.” Through practical metaphors- from the Titanic’s iceberg to Alice in Wonderland - you’ll see how companies must set a strategic destination first, then choose the right digital projects and technologies to get there. This module equips you to navigate uncertainty, prioritise wisely, and lead your organisation from today’s world into tomorrow’s.