Digital confessions: My dad thinks I make websites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIrFHH1vXqc

“I was having a conversation with my dad one day and he was trying to understand what I do for a living. He kept asking questions and for some reason my answers were leading him further and further away from reality. At one point he inquired whether ‘digital' means I’m in tech support and fix people’s laptops. Eventually I launched into a lengthy explanation filled with examples that he could relate to. A look of realisation dawned on his face, and I felt a sense of pride in how I’d been able to articulate the digital industry to an admitted digital dinosaur. The pride turned to dismay when he nodded knowingly and simply said ‘Ahh… so you make websites?’”

This was an anecdote told to me by a colleague over lunch with my team recently. We all had a good laugh and shared stories of when our parents or grandparents had failed to grasp exactly what a Digital Strategist or CX Designer or Creative Technologist actually does. The conversation then took a less funny turn when we started to share stories of when we’d had eerily similar conversations with our clients, colleagues or friends. I couldn’t help but think: it’s funny when our parents don’t get what we do, but it’s scary when we come across people our own age, working in professional environments, who are in charge of the digital remit of their organisation… and are still in digital denial. 

It’s 2016, and a big part of my job is still explaining to people what Digital Strategy actually is and why they need it. What are we doing wrong?

After the lunch conversation, I couldn’t help but think we needed to do a better job of educating our peers on what we do and how we do it. They can’t be experts in digital just like we can’t be experts in everything they do. But “education” didn’t seem like the right word; it has an immediately negative connotation of talking down to people.  So we started to think of different ways we could start to spread the message without the air of condescension. 

 There’s no such thing as a dumb question, right? When someone starts talking to me about the intricate details of derivatives trading, I should feel ok to ask a few questions before giving a recommendation. So why does it feel different when it goes the other way? “Digital 101” sessions are especially poorly received when delivered to people who are already in charge of digital in some way – no one likes to be made to feel they’re not an expert at their job. Could we possibly spread the digital message while also having a bit of fun at our own expense?

Starting a conversation: Let’s lighten the mood

Inspired by my colleague’s story about his dad (and also a little bit by SNL Digital Shorts), we wrote a comedic sketch that pokes a bit of fun at ourselves as a means of doing away with the notion of digital meaning we “just make websites”. We’re pretty proud that the entire video was an in-house production from a small team of volunteers: The soundtrack is an original song we wrote and recorded called “We Make Websites”. We also scripted the sketch and all cast and crew are members of the team. It just goes to show that people’s hobbies and skills can be unlocked to great effect in the workplace when we just get out of their way.

The video went on to win “Best Comedy” in the 2015 Awescars, an annual global video competition run across all the Deloitte Digital offices around the world.

So to summarise – being digital means we do a lot more than just make websites. If you want to find out more, don’t be scared to ask questions. And if you want to know what we do, check out some of our work: http://www.deloittedigital.com/

“WE MAKE WEBSITES” SYNOPSIS

Deloitte Digital do lots of awesome digital things... but some people still think we just make websites.

 Meet Jacques Vilayne, Deloitte Digital’s new (fictional) Executive Creative Director. He has all of the annoying traits associated with your typical digital native, from his vintage fixie bicycle to his penchant for buzzwords. Unfortunately he has no idea what the digital team actually do, and when he finally meets them it’s a match made in hell.

“We Make Websites” from Deloitte Digital SEA may be the world’s shortest musical, but we’re sure even the most hipstery of hipsters will be chilled from their manicured beard down to their vintage handmade calfskin loafers.