Case Study
Making Digital Real: Embedding Innovation
Through the Digital Accelerator Program
Background
A global multidisciplinary consulting firm with 10,000+ employees across infrastructure, environmental, and energy sectors faced a pressing challenge: while digital capabilities (analytics, automation, advanced tools) existed, they were under-leveraged and inconsistently applied.
The North American Environment business operated in silos. Staff often lacked awareness of what tools were available, how to access them, or how to introduce them to clients. Meanwhile, clients demanded smarter, faster, and more cost-effective solutions. Employees themselves were asking: “What does digital mean for me and my projects? How do I position this with clients?”
The gap was clear: digital was a strategic differentiator, but without education, ownership and cultural integration, its potential remained untapped.
The Challenge
Despite technical excellence, three core barriers limited impact:
- Low Awareness. Teams didn’t always know what solutions existed or how they could be applied.
- Integration Gaps. Digital wasn’t consistently embedded in proposals or delivery.
- Cultural Inertia. A “status quo” mindset left opportunities for efficiency, differentiation, and margin growth unrealized.
The business needed a structured, scalable way to embed digital in daily work and client conversations.
The Strategy: The Digital Accelerator Program
To address these barriers, the firm launched the Digital Accelerator (DA) Program — a network of embedded champions who serve as translators, integrators, and influencers.
DAs bridge the gap between technical teams and digital capabilities, making innovation tangible.
Key elements of the program:
- Defined DA Roles. Provide hands-on guidance for integrating digital into proposals, delivery, and client discussions.
- Visibility Tools. Microsoft avatars and a central hub on intranet make DAs easy to find.
- Awareness Campaigns. FAQs, success stories, and “Art of the Possible” examples showcase real impacts.
- Community of Advocates. Champions and early adopters build momentum and a culture of curiosity.
- Measurement & Tracking. Monitor adoption, proposal integration, and client outcomes to ensure ROI.
Actions for Growth
The DA Program rolled out through a series of deliberate actions:
- Pilots with Key Clients. Launched DA support in various service lines in the Americas.
- Central Knowledge Hub. Built an intranet site with templates, FAQs, bots, and success stories.
- Storytelling. Shared real-world wins, such as automating data collection to cut manual effort in half.
- Training & Coaching. Embedded DAs in proposal and delivery teams to position digital with clients.
- Routine Cadence. Established regular DA calls and built a growing advocate network.
Early Results & Traction
- Greater Awareness. Teams gained visibility into digital solutions and how to properly integrate them into business as usual.
- Client Differentiation. Smarter, faster delivery strengthened market positioning.
- Margin Gains. Delivery efficiencies converted into measurable profit.
- Talent Engagement. Staff saw opportunities to improve skills and deliver higher-value work.
Key Takeaway
Digital Accelerators turned innovation into daily practice—embedding smarter, faster solutions across teams and client delivery.
