"The design of effective public digital organisations 💪: How we started and where we are today - Google"

"The design of effective public digital organisations 💪: How we started and where we are today - Google"

Society needs effective public organisations, and no organisation can be called effective unless it can also be called digitally effective. Just like strong tech-product companies, public works should be equally (if not more) accountable for their performance than private ones. Transparency is key in ensuring that public organisations are able to consistently create new value for their customers and for their business.

Successful digital products are almost always built by long-lived multi-disciplinary teams that have broad power to shape their own work. These empowered product teams are crucial in translating organisational strategy into something multiple product teams can efficiently execute on. In fact, Marty Cagan, in his book "Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love," emphasizes the importance of constantly developing each product to reach its full potential, rather than just tweaking and optimizing existing products.

One of the key factors in the success of empowered product teams is the design of the executive team. An executive team designed consciously to support empowered product teams is more likely to be successful than one that is designed around other goals. This aligns with the approach taken by Steve Jobs when he returned as CEO of Apple. Jobs laid off the general managers of all the business units, put the entire company under one profit and loss statement, and combined the disparate functional departments into one functional organization. This restructuring allowed Apple to foster innovation and drive success.

As we look at the evolution of digital organisations, it's important to reflect on the story of Google. The Google story begins in 1995 at Stanford University, where Larry Page and Sergey Brin began working on a search engine as part of their research project. In August 1998, Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim wrote Larry and Sergey a check for $100,000, and Google Inc. was officially born. From humble beginnings in a dorm room, to a garage, and now a global technology giant, Google's passion for building technology for everyone has remained consistent.

Google's relentless search for better answers has been at the core of everything they do. This commitment to innovation and continuous improvement has allowed Google to revolutionize the way we search for information, connect with others, and access knowledge. The company's dedication to creating value for their customers is a testament to the power of empowered product teams and their ability to drive success.

As we consider the lessons learned from both the design of effective public digital organisations and the evolution of companies like Google, there are three actionable pieces of advice that can be applied to any organization:

1. Foster Transparency and Accountability: Public organisations, in particular, need to prioritize transparency and accountability. By being open about their performance and actively seeking feedback from their customers and stakeholders, public organisations can continuously improve and deliver better value.

2. Empower Product Teams: Building long-lived multi-disciplinary teams that have the power to shape their own work is crucial for success in the digital age. By empowering these teams, organisations can tap into their creativity and expertise, driving innovation and delivering products that reach their full potential.

3. Embrace Continuous Improvement: Just like Google's relentless search for better answers, organisations should embrace a culture of continuous improvement. This means constantly challenging the status quo, seeking new ways to add value, and never settling for mediocrity. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, organisations can stay ahead of the curve and drive meaningful change.

In conclusion, the design of effective public digital organisations requires a focus on transparency, accountability, and empowerment. Drawing inspiration from successful tech companies like Google, organisations can learn the importance of fostering innovation, empowering product teams, and embracing continuous improvement. By incorporating these principles into their strategies and operations, public organisations can deliver value, drive success, and meet the needs of their stakeholders in the digital age.