What Is a ‘Digital’? Understanding Numbers, Digitization, and Data Elements

Numbers

“Numbers” are essentially an “information representation” , referring to the way information is expressed in the computer world through symbols or codes. Numbers are the basic units of data, used to represent values or measurements. All digital transformation and data‑element work rely on numbers as the most fundamental form of information expression.

Digitization

Digitization is essentially an “information storage process” , meaning the conversion of physical‑world information into digital information that can be stored, processed, and transmitted by computers. Digitization is the foundation for data elements, providing the conditions for data collection, analysis, and application. Digital transformation depends on this process.

Data Elements

Data elements are a type of “production factor” :

Agricultural era production factors: labor and land;

Industrial era production factors: labor, land, and capital;

Information era production factors: labor, land, capital, and technology;

Digital era production factors: labor, land, capital, technology, and data;

Intelligent era production factors: labor, land, capital, technology, data, and artificial intelligence.

Thus, data elements possess the basic attributes of production factors—production, circulation, distribution, and consumption—and also the characteristics of digitization, requiring collection, processing, and standardization before they can be effectively utilized.

The value of data elements depends on digitization; only through digitization can data become an operable and manageable factor. The circulation and application of data elements are also key components of digital transformation.

Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is essentially an “enterprise operation strategy” . Enterprises reshape business processes across production, sales, procurement, human resources, administration, finance, legal, and other departments by applying digital‑related IT technology systems, thereby improving operational efficiency, activating innovation capability, and ultimately creating new business value.

Therefore, digital transformation is not merely the implementation of IT technology; it encompasses strategic, managerial, and cultural changes that drive enterprise development, innovation, cost reduction, efficiency gains, and competitiveness in the face of market uncertainty.

IT‑Enterprise Digital‑Transformation Survey

IT companies, as providers of digital‑transformation services, help traditional industries adapt to the wave of digitization. But does an IT company’s own digital transformation perform better?

We often hear about digital‑transformation solutions and success cases in traditional manufacturing, retail, and transportation. What is the current state and maturity of IT companies’ digital transformation, and what unique challenges do they face?

To answer these questions, the author invites you to spend less than one minute to complete an eight‑question survey. The collected data will be aggregated and published.