Toyota Astra Motor

Wilbertus Darmadi has worked in various roles, ranging from a technical engineer to management level, covering manufacturing to sales distribution. Recently, he has been dedicated to enhancing digital transformation, optimizing smart data utilization, and engaging in discussions surrounding cybersecurity.

Please tell us about your experience within the digital transformation space and your roles and responsibilities at Toyota Astra Motors.

I have around 28 years of experience in the IT field, starting as an engineer and eventually progressing to the role of CIO. Throughout my career, I have primarily worked in the automotive industry, specifically with two and four-wheel vehicles. As a CIO, my primary responsibility is to ensure the successful implementation of appropriate technology to enhance business operations and maximize its potential for growth.

What are some of the major challenges in the industry when it comes to digital transformation?

Many people often misunderstand digital information, even after participating in events or webinars. Some enterprises believe they have already undergone digital transformation, but in reality, they have only undergone digitalization.

In fact, there are three distinct concepts to consider: digitization, digitalization, and digital transformations. Each term holds a unique significance, yet people often confuse them.

When discussing digital transformation as a priority, the fundamental question that arises is about the specific changes the company aims to make from an enterprise perspective. It is important to approach the question of transformation not solely from a technological perspective but also from a business standpoint. While discussions on digitalization are relevant in the context of technology, it is crucial to consider the broader implications and objectives of digital transformation, which should begin with understanding the needs and goals of the business.

“Technology is constantly evolving at an unstoppable pace and we must explore ways to effectively utilize the rapid influx of new technologies to enhance and optimize business performance.”

To achieve the objective of digital transformation, it is important to create a roadmap that outlines the necessary action plans. Since it is a long-term goal, developing at least a five-year roadmap will help in drilling down into the specific steps and timeframe needed to achieve it. In addition, when it comes to transforming something, it may be straightforward to acquire new technology and modify business processes with board approval. However, if the team lacks a digital mindset and resists transformation, it will pose challenges. I find it challenging to come up with technology-related proposals because in manufacturing, it is easier for the board and top management to understand and approve investments in machinery due to visible benefits. In the case of investing in digital technology, even top management lacks the technology background and may struggle to grasp the potential benefits that can be derived from such a significant investment.

To ensure that all our executives are well-informed about technology, I established a technology benchmark and shared my insights with them. This initiative aimed to enhance their awareness and understanding of various technological advancements. To open the minds of top management, I conduct a technology roadmap that aims to make them more technology-aware. This will make it easier for me to propose future technology investments, as they will be able to envision the potential benefits they can obtain.

During our visit to the US, our top management and executives attended a presentation and witnessed a business showcase. The business showcase is a demonstration of how technology is implemented in various industries, serving as a prime example of technological innovation.

It is crucial for IT and HR departments to collaborate with top management as key stakeholders to successfully conduct a digital transformation. It is not enough for IT alone to be responsible for the success of the transformation; it requires the involvement and support of the board and the CEO. The key to achieving this success lies in effectively aligning all employees' understanding and ensuring they work together towards a common goal.

Are there any specific technologies or practices that you are excited about and eager to implement in the future when it comes to incorporating digital transformation strategies for data-driven organizations?

In order to embrace data-driven practices, our organization follows a four-step approach consisting of descriptive, analytic, predictive, and prescriptive phases. Beginning with the descriptive phase, we focus on utilizing the consolidated data from our large data warehouse to illustrate what occurred through visualization techniques.

However, we find ourselves in a phase where the data is centralized in a big data warehouse, yet its utilization remains extremely low. This raises the question as to why the utilization is so low. There are three main reasons behind this issue. Firstly, business users lack access to the data warehouse, making it impossible for them to utilize all the available data. Secondly, they lack proper tools to effectively search for and explore the data, as well as create visualizations. Consequently, they rely on the IT department. For example, whenever there is a need to create a data map, they have to involve IT before they can begin using the data.

To enhance the utilization of our data and become a more data-driven organization, we have developed a cell surface analytic approach. This approach allows business users to independently perform analytics without constantly relying on our IT team. Following a thorough review, we identify any issues and subsequently present a solution. As part of this solution, we provide business users with the Microsoft Power BI tool.

We decided to use Power BI because it shares similarities with Excel. In addition, as our employees are already familiar with Excel and regularly use it, they will find it easy to understand and work with Power BI. Then we proceed to create a data catalog which serves as a convenient portal for all employees to access and input the specific type of data they require. Once they enter their query and hit "enter," the data catalog promptly generates a comprehensive list of the requested information.

With this knowledge, they have the ability to perform surface analytics independently. They can generate analyses, predictions, and forecasts using the available data. This approach aims to expedite our company's adoption of data-driven practices and enhance overall data utilization, ultimately enabling us to become a truly data-driven enterprise.

What would be your advice to your peers and aspiring professionals in the industry?

Technology is constantly evolving at an unstoppable pace, and it is essential for us to acknowledge this reality. As an enterprise, we must not resist this change but rather embrace it. My main focus as a CIO is to effectively utilize the rapid influx of new technologies to maximize the benefits for our business. It is important to consider not only the technical aspects but also the business perspective. By solely focusing on the technical side, we may not be able to effectively implement all the available technologies to support the business. Therefore, we need to explore ways to leverage technology to enhance and optimize business performance.