Digital transformation is a process aimed at helping businesses adopt various technologies to improve productivity, deliver value, and stay competitive in a changing environment.
Such transformation in an organization is a challenging task. Even though there are numerous digital transformation consultants that you can rely on, business leaders and executives should still be well-versed in the subject.
Otherwise, the transformation may conflict with the corporate structure and culture, causing many problems that may disrupt the company’s growth.
Becoming knowledgeable in digital transformation is not too difficult. Just take one of the following online courses and programs. Upon completion, you can work more smoothly with your consultants to implement digital transformation strategies.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article from Victory Tale contains affiliate links. We will receive a small commission from our partners if you enroll in one of the digital transformation courses.
Nevertheless, we always value integrity and prioritize our audience’s interests. You can rest assured that we will present each course and program truthfully.
Things You Should Know
Prerequisites
Most courses have no specific prerequisites. However, you should have a solid background in business and management.
Criteria
Below are the criteria for the best digital transformation courses.
- Taught by industry experts in digital transformation
- Available on a user-friendly learning platform
- Offer various high-quality course materials
- Provide excellent value for money
- Receive primarily positive reviews from actual students
- My personal experience with the course, instructor, and platform (if any) must be positive.
1. Digital Transformation Leadership by BU
This five-course program from Boston University (BU) on the edX platform is an excellent choice to consider.
You will learn the concepts and practical digital strategies you can implement to enhance the company’s competitive edge in a highly dynamic environment.
Course Content
Below is what you should expect from each course in the program.
1. Leading in the Digital Age – The first course will introduce you to a new leadership mindset and additional skillsets relevant to successful management in the digital age.
For example, you will learn to build deep trust relationships, form and lead virtual teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and many more.
2. Digital Transformation Strategy – The second course will drill deep into critical digital transformation strategies. First, you will learn about the three players shaping the business environment and the three phases of digital transformation.
Subsequently, you will grasp the three winning moves or strategies that can lead to business success and how to make transformation decisions that resonate well with the current phase that your company belongs.
3. Product Management with Lean, Agile, and System Design Thinking – The third course will cover the concepts of Lean, Agile, and system design thinking.
All of these revolutionize product management by helping businesses create products that adhere to customer needs, optimize workflows, and shape an effective product lifecycle.
4. Business Analytics for Data-Driven Decision Making – Several businesses met their downfalls because of abysmal decisions.
This course will then equip you with the skills to make prudent decisions based on data. You will learn how to perform business analytics and leverage it to build up a competitive advantage and avoid strategic mishaps.
5. Platform Strategy for Business – The 21st century gives birth to the platform economy. Currently, numerous business transactions occur on platforms such as Amazon, Uber, Steam, Expedia, etc.
This course will guide you through all the steps to succeed in this environment. Specifically, you will learn to convert products to platforms, explore optimal pricing model and strategy, and become a solid contender in the winner-take-all markets.
The Bottom Line
Compared to other courses and programs, this one is probably the most informative. It covers the fundamentals of digital transformation that business owners and executives should be aware of without delving too deep into the technicals.
Boston University recommends spending 4-7 hours per week on the program; you will complete it in nine months.
Note: The program is not 100% self-paced. Only Course 2 and Course 3 allow students to complete the curriculum independently. Others are instructor-paced, so they will begin and end on specific dates, requiring them to follow the schedule strictly.
Regarding the pricing, all courses in this program are free to audit, but this option does not provide access to assignment grading, exams, and a certificate of completion. If you are interested in these, you must enroll in the verified track, which costs $1795.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unarguably one of the best digital transformation programs
- Taught by a professor who is one of the most highly cited researchers in management
- Utilize an integrative/holistic approach to all topics
- Well-structured curriculum covering the comprehensive framework of digital transformation
- In-depth and informative lessons
- Feature various case studies and practical advice
- Free auditing
Cons
- The program is not self-paced. Course #1, #4, and #5 are available only on specific dates.
2. Digital Transformation as a Business and Innovation Strategy
This concise program from Tecnológico de Monterrey, one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America, will guide you through the steps to cope with business challenges arising from current digital technologies.
You will then build the competence to lead your company to face these dynamic changes and implement the appropriate transformation.
Course Content
This program comprises three courses as follows:
1. Global Environment and Trends in Technological Innovation – The first course will cover emerging technologies and how they reshape the business environment and affect each company’s competitiveness.
2. Digital Strategy and Transformation – The second course will drill deep into digital transformation and how to implement proper strategies to shift business models from “analogous” to “digital.”
3. Leadership in the Digital Age – The final course equips you with the competency to lead your team and company through digital transformation phases. Upon completion, you will be able to create a reliable digital transformation map.
The Bottom Line
This program is not as comprehensive as BU’s, but it offers direct, top-notch insights you can practically implement for successful digital transformation. Hence, it might suit you more if you are always busy.
The only drawback is that the lectures will be in Spanish. You will need to read subtitles to understand the content. Still, the readings are in English. Their overall quality is exceptional. Each paragraph is accompanied by images, colorful tables, infographics, etc.
As a self-paced program, you can create your learning schedule and submit your assignments without a hurry.
Auditing all the courses is free. However, you can opt for the verified track to get the full experience. The latter option costs $267 one-time.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Beginner-friendly curriculum
- Excellent reading materials (with stunning and colorful visuals) and additional learning resources
- The transcripts and subtitles are readable.
- Self-paced learning
- Free auditing
Cons
- All video lectures are in Spanish, so you will need to read subtitles.
3. Digital Transformation Strategy by Yale University
Suppose you want to focus on implementing a holistic digital transformation strategy for your company’s business model. In this case, taking this exclusive program from Yale University (available on the Getsmarter platform) would be ideal.
Course Content
This online, self-paced program comprises six weekly modules covering the following topics:
1. Understanding the Digital Disruption – The first module will discuss the impact of digital technologies on reshaping the business environment. Subsequently, you will explore challenges, risks, potentials, and opportunities surrounding digital transformation.
2. Value Creation and Value Capture in Digital Transformation – The second module is about transformation strategies and monetization models companies can use to create value in the new era.
3. Customer-centric Operating Models – New technologies usually cause a significant change in customer behavior. This module will guide you on how companies can utilize the agile method to adapt their internal processes to be more customer-centric.
4. Reinventing Value Chains for Growth – The fourth module will explore how organizations can use technology to create innovative value propositions to drive growth.
Specifically, you will learn about value chain innovations, including mass customization, disintermediation, and product-as-a-service business models.
5. Change Management and Workforce Transformation – Implementing digital transformation can be challenging because, in most cases, cultural changes and workforce shifts are required.
This module will provide insights on how a digital leader can manage such challenges to ensure successful business transformation.
6. Leading Digital Transformation – The final course will delve into how an executive should implement a digital transformation strategy and the best methods to evaluate its effectiveness.
Compared to other alternatives, this program is far more focused on general digital transformations and the strategies that make them happen. If you plan to start such projects very soon, I highly suggest enrolling in this top-notch training beforehand.
The Bottom Line
The workload for each module is 8-10 hours, which is higher than average online courses. One of the reasons is that you need to participate in small group discussions and class-wide forums, providing excellent networking opportunities.
The program includes full support from the team, including a head tutor, a success adviser, and a 24/7 global success team. Thus, you can comfortably request assistance anytime if you encounter content-related, administrative, or even technical issues.
The tuition fee for this program is $2800. However, Getsmarter offers various payment options. You can pay all at once or split the payment into two parts.
If you are still unsure whether this program is right for you, I recommend requesting the brochure through the link below to watch the trailer and access the course syllabus.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Undoubtedly the best digital transformation program for learners who plan to start digital transformation projects very soon
- Taught by three management faculty members from Yale School of Management
- Comprehensive curriculum exclusively focusing on digital transformation strategies
- Provide high-quality instructional materials, including video lectures, case studies, infographics, quizzes, live polls, exams, etc.
- Offer several opportunities for learners to interact with peers and form long-lasting relationships
- Students will receive a certificate of completion from Yale upon completion.
- Exceptional support from the team
- Flexible payment options
Cons
- Costlier than other alternatives
- Fixed start dates (not available during specific parts of the year)
- Require higher weekly commitment than other programs
4. Digital Transformation in Operations
Created by one of the best business schools in the world, this Getsmarter program by the Kellogg School of Management will thoroughly guide learners on leveraging the latest digital tools to optimize their business operations and skyrocket productivity.
Course Content
This program consists of five weekly modules as follows:
1. Aligning Strategy and Operations: A Digital Framework – The first module will explain why implementing a digital operations framework is instrumental for executives to manage successful business models in the new era.
Subsequently, you will perceive the relationship between strategy and digitization for operations management.
2. Driving Financial Performance Through Operational Metrics – The second module will discuss the relationship between operational and financial performance. You will understand how the latter can predict the former and grasp the impact of digitization on both.
3. Delivering Scale and Speed – Digitization can significantly scale and speed up operational processes. This module will provide insights on speeding up critical path activities, managing bottlenecks, and improving throughput.
4. Improving Quality Through Machine Learning – Machine learning is the technology revolutionizing numerous industries. This module will articulate how machine learning can affect business operations and how your company can benefit from it.
5. Personalization and Evaluation of Disruptive Technologies – The final module will delve into crucial digital technologies that can practically strengthen operations management.
In addition, you will grasp the personalization-variety relationship and be able to use a digital approach to improve personalization.
The Bottom Line
According to the course page, you should spend 4-6 hours per week. The workload is thus manageable for managers and executives.
Like the previous program, you can access numerous interactive course materials, weekly forums, class discussions, evaluations, and full support from the team.
This program costs $2500 (various payment options are available). You can also access the course brochure through the link below to get additional information about the program.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unarguably the best digital transformation course that focuses on operations
- Taught by two elite professors from a world-class business school + Receive an official certificate upon completion
- Well-structured curriculum
- In-depth lessons extensively covering various digital technologies that executives can find helpful in improving operations
- Offer networking opportunities
- Light workload
- Self-paced learning
- Flexible payment options
Cons
- High course fees
- Not always available (fixed start dates)
- Cover only operations topics and nothing else
5. Rotman Digital Transformation
This program from the Rotman School of Management (at the University of Toronto) will explore five fundamental principles of digital transformation.
Upon completion, you will understand the steps to navigate the changing environment and how to strengthen your organization’s capabilities to stay competitive and achieve desired outcomes.
Course Content
Throughout the six weekly modules, you will learn the following:
1. Pursue an Integrated Platform – The first module will explain the factors behind the changing business landscape and how traditional businesses are disrupted by more innovative companies.
Later, you will learn about the five principles of digital transformation and perceive the value of an integrated platform in helping enterprises achieve a competitive edge in the new environment.
2. Focus on Stakeholder Value and Experience – The second module focuses on a stakeholder-centric design. You will understand how such a design is valuable for an organization and how to improve it for better stakeholder satisfaction.
3. Develop a Process Design and Engineering Perspective – The third module will discuss the positive impact of process design in enhancing the organization’s ability to achieve its objectives.
4. Foster Agile Teams – The fourth module will go over agile methodologies. Subsequently, you will understand how to form agile teams and why they are beneficial for digital transformation endeavors.
5. Develop a Data-Driven Mindset – Bold decisions are significant for business success. However, making one cannot rely only on the executive’s instinct.
In this module, you will learn the concepts of data analytics, particularly predictive analytics, and implement them to make informed decisions and gain an advantage over competitors.
6. Building the Transformation Plan – The final course will outline all the steps to create a practical digital transformation plan. You will analyze the project’s scope and risks and produce a full-fledged plan.
The Bottom Line
I appreciate the structure of the curriculum. It will first provide informative insights on each aspect of digital transformation, allowing students to understand general concepts individually. Hence, you will be able to merge everything and build a fully-functional plan at the end.
Like other Getsmarter programs, this Rotman program provides plenty of course materials and peer interaction opportunities, similar to in-person executive training.
The weekly commitment for this program is average (6-8 hours per week), which is manageable for managers and working professionals.
Regarding pricing, this program costs $1986.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Taught by subject matter experts, ranging from a managing director of a consulting firm, a high-ranking government official, and an executive in residence
- Follow a consultative and step-by-step approach, making the curriculum straightforward
- Students have an opportunity to formulate a practical transformation plan at the end of the program.
- High-quality course materials
- Self-paced learning + Manageable workload
- Offer considerable networking opportunities
- Flexible payment options
- Receive an official certificate of completion from the University of Toronto
Cons
- Costly
- Not always available
6. Organizational Design for Digital Transformation by MIT
Suppose you plan to reorganize the operational backbone of your organization. In this case, this program from MIT Management Executive Education is a choice that you may want to consider.
Once completed, you will be comfortable assessing the critical priorities of your organization and using the proper tools to enable rapid and robust digital transformation.
Course Content
This program comprises six weekly modules as follows:
1. Designing Your Digital Success – The first module will explore the role of digital design. You will perceive how it can be instrumental in delivering new values to the organization.
Later, you will analyze each element of digital design and articulate the discrepancy between digital design and organizational structure.
2. Achieving Operational Excellence – The second module is straightforward. It covers steps and suggestions to build an effective operational backbone that supports innovation and drives growth.
3. Customer Desires and Digital Solutions – The third module will delve into customer-centric digital solutions development. You will perceive what you need to create a viable offering based on customer insights.
4. Digital Design: Enabling Rapid Innovation – The fourth module will discuss how to build a functional digital platform to deliver digital solutions to customers and clients.
5. Creating an Effective Innovation Culture – The fifth module will explain methods to reform a hierarchical structure and develop a new culture of innovation to promote effective communication and teamwork.
The second part of the course will discuss the guidelines to develop an accountability framework. Subsequently, you will perform an assessment on the company based on those guidelines.
6. Implementing Digital Transformation – The final module will start by discussing an external developer platform and the prerequisites for building one. Later, you will learn about the building blocks of digital transformation in the context of a hypothetical company and your own.
The Bottom Line
Generally speaking, this program is must-enroll if you plan to digitize the company, particularly reforming its structure and culture. You will learn all the steps from the beginning and perceive how to implement them practically (in your company’s context) at the end of the final course.
The workload for this program is 6-8 hours per week, which is on par with most online executive programs. Hence, I believe the pace is perfectly manageable for working professionals.
Tuition Fee: $2800
Still unsure whether this program suits you? Click the button below to access the brochure and watch the program trailer.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Taught by a leading research scientist at MIT Sloan and a team of professors, successful startup founders, executives at top tech companies, etc.
- Comprehensive curriculum
- Feature various rich, real-world case studies
- Offer access to top-notch supplementary course materials
- Self-paced learning + Manageable workload
- Receive a certificate of completion from MIT Sloan upon completion
Cons
- Costlier than other alternatives
- Not always available
7. Digital Transformation Course by UVA
Offered by the University of Virginia and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), this Coursera course is an exceptional choice for students who just want to test the waters.
Within 14 hours of content, you will learn the fundamentals of digital transformation and grasp why it has become imperative for businesses to respond to the digital trend.
Course Content
Below are the topics that you will learn from this course:
- Exponential evolution of technology
- Disruptions & Competitive Lifecycle + Economics of Innovation
- Digital Trends – Big Data, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, Additive Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, etc.
- Digital transformation process through BCG’s proprietary framework
The courses include numerous interviews, where you gain crucial insights from leading subject matter experts. Subsequently, you will practice the knowledge you have learned through quizzes and assignments.
Generally speaking, this program covers only the basics, but it is still worthwhile for absolute beginners to grasp some key concepts before proceeding to more advanced programs.
Auditing this course is free, but you will not be able to access graded assignments and a digital certificate. Alternatively, you can select the subscription option and gain access to this course and the other three in the specialization.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Taught by a professor from the University of Virginia and BCG executives
- Beginner-friendly curriculum
- Highly informative lessons with clear explanations
- Helpful takeaway sessions
- Feature numerous interviews with industry experts
- Free auditing
Cons
- The transcripts are not organized, making them extremely difficult to read
- Cover only basic stuff
- Almost zero additional readings
8. Digital Transformation Using AI/ML with Google Cloud Specialization
Cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are undoubtedly revolutionizing the world. Hence, many businesses are adopting them to transform business models, enhance productivity, and drive growth.
If interested, I suggest considering this specialization from Google. You will learn to adopt these technologies without prior technical expertise.
Course Content
This specialization comprises three courses as follows:
1. Business Transformation with Google Cloud – The first course will introduce you to cloud computing. You will be equipped with basic knowledge and be able to determine the appropriate digital transformation roadmap for your company.
2. Infrastructure and Application Modernization with Google Cloud – The second course discusses the challenges of outdated IT structure and how cloud computing, particularly Google Cloud, can be instrumental for businesses to modernize their systems.
3. Managing Machine Learning Projects with Google Cloud – The final course will guide you through fundamental machine learning concepts and use cases. Upon completion, you will be able to identify ML use cases that may be relevant to your business.
The program is pretty concise. You should spend 4 hours per week for two months to complete it. Still, it contains numerous helpful knowledge points that absolute beginners would find extremely useful.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Taught by experts from Google
- Beginner-friendly curriculum, not drilling too deep into the technicals
- Clear explanations of concepts and practical examples
- Informative lessons + Well-organized transcripts
- Free auditing
Cons
- The program uses Google Cloud Platform. Thus, some of the knowledge taught in this course may not be applicable if your company plans to use another cloud provider (AWS, Azure)
Coursera Plus
Suppose you are interested in more than a single Coursera specialization. In this case, I suggest subscribing to Coursera Plus.
At $399 per year (or $33.25 per month), Coursera Plus grants full access (not just audit) to most courses and programs platform-wide. With this subscription, you do not need to pay upfront or monthly fee for each program (which costs $39-$79 per month).
Therefore, if you are a diligent learner, subscribing to Coursera Plus will save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Undoubtedly, this is an excellent deal that you should take.
Other Alternatives
Digital Transformation in Financial Services Specialization – This Coursera specialization is one of the few courses that offer insights into digital transformation initiatives for the financial services industry.
Unfortunately, the course materials are not well-made. Many students complained that broken links were rampant. Hence, I decided not to recommend this program.
Related Courses
Below is a list of top courses in the subjects that you may also find helpful in strengthening your skills.
- Business Analytics
- Marketing Analytics
- Data Analytics
- AI for Business Leaders
- Digital Marketing – Coming Soon
- Fintech
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Agile Project Management
