The 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey reveals that 89% of organizations have adopted or plan to adopt a 'digital-first' approach, significantly impacting industries such as government, retail, and manufacturing. Key objectives include improving staff retention, maintaining revenue amid market shifts, and enhancing customer experience through technological innovations. Organizations are increasingly leveraging strategies like IoT, big data, and AI to drive digital transformation and meet evolving customer expectations.

1. IDG Communications, Inc.
Understanding where organizations
are in IT transformation with insight
from IDG’s 2018 Digital Business Survey
The State of Digital
Business Transformation

2. IDG Communications, Inc.IDG Communications, Inc.
2
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Purpose and Methodology
To gain a better understandingof how organizationsare evolving to a digital business model in regards
to how they are revising technology strategies, changing organizational structures and processes, and
innovatingto provide a uniquecustomer experience.SURVEY
Audience Base
CIO, Computerworld,CSO, InfoWorld,ITworld
and Network World tech buyer audiences via
email promotions and communities
628
Digital-First Approach
All survey respondentsare within
organizationsthathaveplansto adopt/
or alreadylaunched a “digital-first”
approach.
High Tech 16%
Manufacturing 12%
Financial Services 12%
Government/Nonprofit 10%
Services 8%
Education 8%
Healthcare 7%
Retail, Wholesale & Distribution 6%
Advertising/Marketing/PR/Media 5%
TopRepresentedIndustries
Average
Company Size
13,978 Employees
63%
13%
11%
8%
5%
Executive IT
IT management
Business
management
IT professional
Other
Job Titles
Total Respondents
Online questionnaire
Collection Method
Number of
Questions 24

3. IDG Communications, Inc.
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What Our Audience is Saying
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. What does “digital business” mean to your organization?
52% Enable
worker productivity
through tools such as
mobile, data access,
AI-assisted processes
49% Better manage
business performance
through data availability
and visibility
46% Meet customer
experience expectations

4. IDG Communications, Inc.
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Digital-First Business is Top of Mind
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. To what extent has your organization adopted a “digital first” approach to business processes, operations and customer engagement today? (Response excluding “Not at all”)
of organizations have
adopted, or have
plans to adopt, a
“digital-first”
business strategy
89%
Government
Retail
Manufacturing
High Tech
Education
Healthcare
Financial Services
Services 95%
93%
92%
89%
88%
87%
86%
82%
By Industry:

5. IDG Communications, Inc.
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Objectives Based on People & Process
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. What are the top objectives of your organization’s digital business strategy?
Improve staff retention rates and team morale
Maintain overall revenue, given market shifts
Stay ahead/on pace with competition
Reduce complexity
Improve security
Keep up with customer expectations
Drive new revenue
Improve employee productivity
Create better customer experiences
Improve process efficiency through automation 64%
58%
50%
43%
40%
38%
36%
35%
17%
14%

6. IDG Communications, Inc.
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15%
18%
20%
20%
22%
25%
26%
27%
28%
29%
30%
31%
34%
39%
20%
18%
15%
14%
15%
15%
13%
16%
16%
14%
15%
19%
21%
17%
26%
22%
20%
20%
19%
15%
11%
18%
14%
7%
14%
13%
9%
11%
24%
27%
21%
26%
17%
7%
5%
14%
8%
3%
11%
9%
5%
5%
9%
10%
4%
7%
4%
4%
1%
5%
4%
2%
4%
5%
4%
3%
6%
6%
19%
12%
23%
33%
44%
20%
29%
44%
26%
22%
27%
27%
Big data/analytics
Mobile technology
Public cloud
Private cloud
APIs/embeddable
Microservices/containers
Bots
App performance monitoring tech (APM)
Software-defined storage (SDS)
AR/VR
Software-defined networking (SDN)
Internet of Things (IoT)
Machine learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI & Machine Learning Tools Being
Eyed to Drive Digital Transformation
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. Which of the following strategies or technologies is your organization currently using or planning to use in the next 12 months to become a digital business?
On my radar or actively researching Piloting new initiatives In production in a business unit or division In production enterprise wide Upgrading/refining Not interested

7. IDG Communications, Inc.
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Enterprises Utilizing IoT
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. Does or will the Internet of Things (IoT) play a role in your organization’s digital business strategy?
Don't
know
No
Yes
Differences by Industry Where
IoT Plays a Role In Digital Strategy
61%
39%
24%
42%
15%
20%
SMBEnterprise
Manufacturing: 73%
High Tech: 54%
Retail: 53%
Services: 53%
Education: 46%
Healthcare: 42%
Finance: 33%
Government: 33%

8. IDG Communications, Inc.
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Understand the Voice of the Customer
to Better Their Experience
Source: 2018 IDG Digital Business Survey
Q. Which of the following tools or approaches is your organization currently using or planning to use in the next 12 months to create a better customer experience?
On my radar or actively researching Piloting new initiatives In production in a business unit or division In production enterprise wide Upgrading/refining Not interested
18%
19%
20%
21%
21%
22%
23%
24%
28%
28%
21%
25%
20%
23%
28%
21%
21%
15%
22%
21%
22%
20%
19%
21%
20%
20%
16%
12%
17%
19%
20%
13%
16%
11%
14%
21%
8%
7%
7%
11%
9%
8%
7%
8%
7%
9%
8%
4%
5%
5%
10%
14%
18%
16%
10%
7%
23%
37%
21%
17%
Mobile solutions
Self-service
Community/collaboration tools
Increased use of data by front-line representatives
Improving access to knowledge sharing regarding your
products and services
Providing ways to access information securely from
anywhere
Improved UX
Omni-channel strategy
Personalization/contextualization of customer
interactions
Real-time capture of customer feedback

9. IDG Communications, Inc.
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