In March 2020, some of our McKinsey colleagues argued that the COVID-19 crisis could be the “imperative of our time.” A month later, we noted that it could bring a “dramatic restructuring of the economic and social order.” We stand by those assertions. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an economic and human catastrophe, and it’s far from over. But with vaccines beginning to roll out, it’s possible to be cautiously optimistic that the next normal will emerge this year or next.
And we believe that, in some ways, that normal could be better. With good leadership, from both business and governments, the changes we described—in productivity, green growth, medical innovation, and resiliency—could provide an enduring foundation for the long term.
WHY IT MATTERS: this short article is must read for anyone in the field to understand where things we used today come from (web, PHP, etc.). A bit technical but very approachable, what strikes me most is that everything we used today - Internet, iPhones, eCommerce & digital transformation in general - are no more than 60-70 years old. We are digital puberty with 40 year old software parents. Keep that in mind as you think about your digital transformation.