We often discuss digital transformation as if it were a purely technological problem.

• New systems.
• New tools.
• New processes.
• New dashboards.
• New acronyms.

“But here’s the uncomfortable truth: digital transformation lives or dies with people, not platforms.”

Think about any team you’ve ever been part of, whether it’s in work, sports, family, or whatever. If people don’t share a common purpose, a clear focus, or well-defined ways of working, things unravel quickly. Confusion creeps in. Frustration follows. Engagement drops. And in the worst cases, the environment quietly turns toxic… until good people simply drift away.

“That’s not a systems failure. That’s a human one.”

For a long time, I’ve been motivated by the idea of building my “dream team” of smart people, motivated people, all pulling in the same direction, underpinned by good values such as honesty and integrity. And yes, the right culture matters. Facilities matter. Benefits matter flexibility matters.
But here’s the realisation that hit me square between the eyes….

“You can have the best people, in the best building, with all the perks in the world and still make their day job unnecessarily hard.”

How?

• Messy data.
• Disjointed systems.
• Multiple versions of the truth.
• Siloed information.
• Duplicated effort.
• “Someone else has that file.”
• “I think that’s the latest version?”
• “I’m waiting for…”

Does this sound familiar?

All the things we claim digital transformation is meant to fix, when left unresolved, quietly drain motivation, productivity, efficiency, and job satisfaction. Death by a thousand tiny frustrations.
Which led me to a bigger question:

“Does digital transformation do more than organise data and processes? Does it actually change how people feel at work?”

After seeing it done well (and badly), my answer is a very clear yes.

Here’s why.
When digital transformation is done properly, and by that I mean with rigid PLM foundations, a few powerful things happen:

• Everyone knows where to find the information they need – No tribal knowledge. No gatekeepers. No scavenger hunts.
• People trust the data – One version of the truth. Clear ownership. Clear status.
• Change is visible – Engineering changes, quality issues, approvals, no surprises, no rumours.
• Processes are clear, enforced, and often automated – Not “optional guidelines”, but agreed ways of working that remove ambiguity.

“And here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough… When data is clear, and processes are visible, blame starts to evaporate.”

Suddenly it’s obvious:

• Who owns what?
• What changed.
• When it changed.
• Why it changed.

“People stop dealing in opinions and start dealing in facts. The finger-pointing reduces. The dreaded phrase “I’m waiting for…” loses its power.”

That shift alone changes team dynamics.
Digital transformation, at its best, creates:

• Psychological safety.
• Confidence in decisions.
• Reduced friction between teams.
• Better conversations.
• Less noise, more signal
• Easier onboarding

“In other words, it directly impacts wellbeing, engagement, and satisfaction at work.”

This is why I’ve come to believe that digital transformation isn’t just an engineering, IT, or operations initiative, even though those functions usually carry the burden.

“It’s also a people strategy. Which is why engaging HR and leadership on all levels early isn’t “nice to have”, it’s critical.”

If transformation only benefits engineers or operations, you’ve missed half the value. When done well, everyone should feel the difference, not because they learned a new system, but because their job became clearer, calmer, and more purposeful.

So maybe the real question isn’t, “What system should we implement?” But, “What kind of working environment are we accidentally creating with the way our data and processes behave?”

I’d genuinely love to hear what others have seen, especially the human side effects, when digital transformation is done well. Because once you see it, it’s hard to unsee.

And it turns out…
Togetherness sometimes starts with a decent bill of materials.

Andrew Jenkins
Director of Digital Transformation – PLM Central Ltd
10th February 2026

10th February 2026
Jackson Lewis