Being digital and succeeding with digital learning starts with culture. We’re asking our stakeholders to see the world differently, to learn new skills, to revisit the definition of success.

This short paper: “Preventing Indigestion: Using Organizational Design when Adopting Modern Education Technology.” touches upon the application of the Star Model. as a means to improve our odds of success. There are alternate frameworks available, the key with these frameworks is that they highlight the many considerations to impacting culture (and the need for ongoing alignment and adjustments).

I like to joke that there’s more to culture than just coffee and cupcakes. For many organizations, there’s a focus on creating a nice place to work (who doesn’t like coffee and cupcakes?), but little interest in changing the larger aspects of the system itself. Putting up posters, bringing in coffee or having a pot luck won’t do anything to align the culture of the organization with the systemic changes needed to support ongoing learning (digital learning!).

Why the title? I was inspired by the quote from Marc Andreesen: “In short, software is eating the world.” (Andreesen, 2011, p.1). If software is eating the world, how do we enjoy the meal? Digital organizations are software-driven, and if we are not aligned in our culture with the implications of this foundation, we are certain to have indigestion.

In thinking about design, culture and learning organizations, the “Story of Joe” (video) provides a fictionalized account of  culture, learning organizations and the search for work. Learning and culture are important both for our current employees and also as we recruit.