Navigating digital transformation in airports : A disciplined approach to project portfolio selection and execution

Abstract

Airports are undertaking digital transformation initiatives to achieve operations excellence, improve sustainability and enhance competitiveness. While digital transformation offers many potential benefits for airports, including improved insights, efficiencies, streamlined passenger journeys and new business/ revenue opportunities, there are risks associated with not utilising a disciplined approach when building a digital transformation project portfolio. Just as all airports are not the same, digital transformation initiatives are not ‘one size fits all’. Projects to introduce new systems and deploy new technology under the banner of digital transformation need to be in support of the strategic goals of the airport and in alignment with business and operational objectives. Digital transformation initiatives must also fit within the resource and skills capacity of the airport to successfully perform the work and provide the necessary post-deployment support afterwards. This paper posits that a disciplined and analytical approach to evaluating both the likely effort required for successful execution and the potential impact and value generated can assist airports with the selection and timing of projects, with the aim of avoiding ‘digital disappointment’. It concludes that digital transformation projects selected and sequenced on the basis of objective criteria are most likely to address the business and operational needs of individual airports and generate the most value for airport employees, stakeholders and passengers.