{"id":3879,"date":"2026-10-14T16:37:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/digitalbuzzuoe\/?p=3879"},"modified":"2026-10-14T16:37:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T16:37:33","slug":"success-for-all-building-digital-capability-for-better-team-outcomes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/digitalbuzzuoe\/success-for-all-building-digital-capability-for-better-team-outcomes\/","title":{"rendered":"Success for All: Building Digital Capability for Better Team Outcomes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Rob Court, Product Manager, Digital Skills\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent Success for All conference brought together colleagues from across the University of Exeter to explore how we can create better experiences for colleagues and students through meaningful, practical change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the event, I\u00a0facilitated\u00a0two round table discussions titled\u00a0Building Digital Capability for Better Team Outcomes<\/strong>. The sessions focused on how digital confidence and capability can support meaningful change by concentrating on outcomes rather than tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What struck me most was that, although the conversations touched on AI, digital tools and new ways of working, people were rarely talking about technology itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, they were talking about outcomes.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They wanted more time.\u00a0They wanted less frustration.\u00a0They wanted to reduce repetitive tasks.\u00a0They wanted to support their teams more effectively.\u00a0And they wanted to feel confident that they were making a difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That observation stayed with me long after the conference ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with the problem, not the technology\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s\u00a0easy to get excited about technology.\u00a0New AI tools appear\u00a0almost daily. Organisations invest in new platforms,\u00a0systems\u00a0and capabilities. Yet when colleagues sat around the table, very few started by talking about software.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, they described the challenges they were experiencing in their day-to-day roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some were struggling with workload.\u00a0Others were looking for ways to reduce manual processes.\u00a0Some wanted to better support colleagues and students.\u00a0Others simply wanted to know where to begin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As one attendee, Jess Johnson, reflected afterwards: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Rob encouraged us to work back from the problem we were trying to solve, which sparked lots of ideas to take back and experiment with.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That comment perfectly captured the spirit of the discussion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than asking: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What tool should I use?”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We explored: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What outcome am I trying to achieve?”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference is subtle, but powerful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confidence follows outcomes\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the recurring themes throughout both sessions was confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People wanted to feel more confident using AI.\u00a0More confident using digital tools.\u00a0More confident supporting others through change.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I left wondering whether\u00a0we’ve\u00a0got the sequence wrong.\u00a0We often talk about building confidence first and hope that change follows.\u00a0Perhaps confidence\u00a0is\u00a0actually the\u00a0result.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use AI regularly, not because\u00a0I’m\u00a0interested in becoming an AI expert, but because it helps me achieve outcomes that matter to me. Whether\u00a0that’s\u00a0reducing time spent on routine tasks, improving the quality of my work, or creating more capacity in my day, the value comes from the outcome, not the tool itself.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same pattern emerged throughout the round tables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People\u00a0weren’t\u00a0describing a desire for more technology, they were describing a desire for better outcomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I reflected after the event: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The confidence shift was clear in the room after each of the two round table events. We did talk a lot about the art of the possible with specific tools, but the difference was that it was outcome led, not software led.\u00a0Once colleagues began talking about\u00a0real challenges, the conversation changed. Ideas started flowing. Experiences were shared. People began connecting possibilities to genuine needs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital capability is about people\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The conversations reinforced something that often gets overlooked: digital capability is not really about technology. It is about people.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology can help us create capacity, improve\u00a0services\u00a0and reduce friction, but only when it is connected to a meaningful outcome.\u00a0This is especially important in higher education.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When colleagues have the confidence,\u00a0capability\u00a0and capacity to thrive in their roles, students benefit too.\u00a0Colleague experience and student experience are not separate conversations. They are deeply connected.\u00a0When we make it easier for colleagues to do their best work, everyone benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating capacity for change\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another interesting theme was transformation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many organisations talk about transformation as though it is something that happens to us. We wait for funding, new systems, programmes or permission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But meaningful change often starts much smaller. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A team simplifies a process.\u00a0A colleague experiments with\u00a0a new approach.\u00a0A repetitive task is automated.\u00a0An unnecessary step is removed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, these small improvements create capacity, confidence and momentum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most successful examples discussed during the round tables were not large transformation programmes. They were practical examples of people making things a little better, one step at a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\u00a0perhaps that’s\u00a0where real transformation begins – not with a programme, not with a tool.\u00a0But with somebody deciding that something could be better.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What next?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If there was one takeaway from Success for All, it would be this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with the outcome.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before exploring technology, ask yourself: <\/p>\n\n\n\n