Replatforming Reality: Skills Over Stack

Summary

This conversation delves into the complexities of replatforming in digital media, highlighting that many issues attributed to technology are often rooted in internal processes and team capabilities. The speakers discuss the high failure rates of replatforming efforts, the importance of diagnosing the real problems, and the frameworks that can help organizations identify and address internal issues before considering a costly replatforming. They emphasize the need for a mindset shift towards investing in team skills and optimizing existing processes, supported by real-world examples of successful internal improvements.

Takeaways

• 70% of replatforming efforts fail to meet business goals.
• Many failures are symptoms of people or process problems.
• A well-designed process can outperform a poor one on a superior platform.
• Invisible ownership can lead to misdiagnosis of platform issues.
• Mixing up process debt with tech debt is common.
• Chasing new tools can distract from solving real issues.
• Good metrics are essential for accurate diagnosis.
• Training and upskilling are often under-invested.
• Specificity in problem identification is crucial.
• Internal improvements can often negate the need for replatforming.