(From Someone in the Same Boat)
In Part 5, I wrote about the role Mark Cuban calls the Technical Translator – the person who understands how work really runs and can connect that with the right tools.
In Part 6, I don’t want to talk about big strategies. I want to talk about what someone like you and me can actually do next inside a busy SME, where nobody has time for “transformation projects”.
Here’s a simple way to start that reflects what I wish we had done much earlier.
1️⃣ Don’t tackle everything now – pick one painful process
Not “our whole digitalization”.
Pick one thing that clearly annoys people: project setup, time tracking, offer creation, monthly reporting. The thing everyone sighs about.
2️⃣ Write down what “good” would look like
In one or two sentences, not a slide deck.
For example:
👉 “We enter project data once, and all other systems use it automatically.”
If you can’t say it simply, the software won’t magically fix it.
3️⃣ Sketch what really happens today
On paper, a whiteboard, a Post‑it wall – whatever.
Who does what? Where is data copied by hand? Where do people wait? This isn’t about perfect BPMN diagrams; it’s about being honest.
4️⃣ Circle the “human glue”
Anywhere someone re‑enters data, manually compares numbers, or chases information is a red flag. That’s where automation or a better tool could help. You don’t have to solve it yet – just name it.
5️⃣ Look at tools after you’ve done this
Only now is it time to look at software, integrations, or AI helpers.
The main question isn’t “What can this tool do?” but:
👉 “Does this help us reach the outcome we wrote in step 2?”
This alone changes how you listen to vendors.
6️⃣ Quietly step into the Technical Translator role
You don’t need a new job title. But somebody has to keep this view together:
— the process,
— the pain points,
— the desired outcome,
— and which tools might help.
If you’re the one who cares enough to do this work, congratulations: you’re already doing what Cuban describes.
None of these steps require a budget line or approval from a steering committee. They require a few focused hours, a bit of curiosity, and the willingness to say:
👉 “This could be easier. Let’s at least draw it once.”
For me, that’s the real point of this whole series:
💥 You don’t have to become an AI expert or a software architect.
You just have to stop letting tools quietly decide how your company works.
Content Creation💡Conceived and directed by me, 📝 in collaboration with AI
#SMEs #DigitalTransformation #TechnicalTranslator #ProcessImprovement #Automation #AIIntegration #FutureOfWork #AgenticEnterprise
