Processes, decisions, capabilities, incentives and organization constitute the operating model, bridging the digital strategy with the dgay-to-day-operations. Given this constellation, it is a logical consequence that the design of the operating model is deeply linked with the digital strategy. This might be why many experts advise their clients to select just one specific type of operating model according to their strategic goals such as the customer centric model, the data powered model, or the open & liquid model (as seen at e.g. Accenture, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, World Economic Forum). However, this approach falls a bit short in our view. In our experience, it is not about choosing one operating model approach, but rather about evolving the operating model in line with the short and the long-term milestones. Instead of aiming at following just one digitalization goal such as customer centricity or data-enabled business model, companies actually should strive for all of these goals over time – in different stages over a certain time horizon, depending on a company’s individual digital maturity state, market situation and resources. This allows for tailoring the digital operating model individually to the firm’s situation, while following digital innovation blueprint principles. The visual below shows the relationship between digital strategy and the corresponding digital operating model, its suggested evolution over multiple stages or periods and some examples of digital strategy and operating model adustments we regularly see in companies.