Sam Page
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Most digital projects fail because they overlook the human element.

People and behaviour2 min readSam Page

However, success comes when you connect digital to people and culture.
Which is why I love trips like this.

The week before last, I shared a photo with Josh Evans and me outside CCEP.

Last week, Louise Colman and I visited the University of Surrey to plan for 2026.

Totally different clients, in different sectors, but the conversation was of course very similar. We were looking at how to use digital to solve internal and external challenges.

Although it can feel difficult to make the time to see people in person (or on video calls that actually give the conversation breathing room), it's always worth it.

Especially when the world we operate in is so complex - changing user behaviour, complex ecosystems, and a user journey which has a "messy middle" which takes a lot of skill and effort to guide people through.

You can't solve that with just a tech stack. You solve it by sitting down with people and building a common understanding of a number of areas:

  • Organisation objectives
  • The audiences and users within them
  • External context and competitor activity
  • People and culture
  • Digital capability and data intelligence

At 7DOTS we love to use creativity, technology and data to bring digital to life, working closely with our clients to meet the objectives they need to achieve.

It was great to sit down with Louise and the team at The University of Surrey and look towards the future. Digital moves fast, but strong partnerships are the foundation for making the most of it.

I’m Sam Page I sit at the intersection of business, digital, and people, helping leaders use technology to deliver strategic objectives.

I share insights on digital, compassionate leadership, neurodiversity, and how to move customers from interest and intent to action.

At 7DOTS, we help considered-purchase brands navigate digital complexity, establish clarity, and grow with confidence.

First published on LinkedIn.

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GEThttps://sam-page.com/thinking/most-digital-projects-fail-because-they-overlook-the-human-element.mdtext/markdown; charset=utf-8

---
title: "Most digital projects fail because they overlook the human element."
url: https://sam-page.com/thinking/most-digital-projects-fail-because-they-overlook-the-human-element
date: 2025-12-22
author: Sam Page
type: Post or article
categories: [People and behaviour]
reading_time: 2 min
summary: "However, success comes when you connect digital to people and culture. Which is why I love trips like this."
first_published: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn%3Ali%3Ashare%3A7408793974217285633
---

# Most digital projects fail because they overlook the human element.

However, success comes when you connect digital to people and culture.  
Which is why I love trips like this.

![](https://sam-page.com/img/thinking/most-digital-projects-fail-because-they-overlook-the-human-element-li1.webp)

The week before last, I shared a photo with Josh Evans and me outside CCEP.

Last week, Louise Colman and I visited the University of Surrey to plan for 2026.

Totally different clients, in different sectors, but the conversation was of course very similar. We were looking at how to use digital to solve internal and external challenges.

Although it can feel difficult to make the time to see people in person (or on video calls that actually give the conversation breathing room), it's always worth it.

Especially when the world we operate in is so complex - changing user behaviour, complex ecosystems, and a user journey which has a "messy middle" which takes a lot of skill and effort to guide people through.

You can't solve that with just a tech stack. You solve it by sitting down with people and building a common understanding of a number of areas:

- Organisation objectives  
- The audiences and users within them  
- External context and competitor activity  
- People and culture  
- Digital capability and data intelligence

At 7DOTS we love to use creativity, technology and data to bring digital to life, working closely with our clients to meet the objectives they need to achieve.

It was great to sit down with Louise and the team at The University of Surrey and look towards the future. Digital moves fast, but strong partnerships are the foundation for making the most of it.

---

I’m Sam Page I sit at the intersection of business, digital, and people, helping leaders use technology to deliver strategic objectives.

I share insights on digital, compassionate leadership, neurodiversity, and how to move customers from interest and intent to action.

At 7DOTS, we help considered-purchase brands navigate digital complexity, establish clarity, and grow with confidence.