As digital initiatives pop up unpredictably across departments, misalignment leads to chaos, wasted investments, and duplicated efforts. This phenomenon — the “Popcorn Effect” — demands modern governance frameworks that promote collaboration without sacrificing agility. Here’s how executive teams can bring order to the chaos and align digital efforts across the organization.

 

As a mother of three kids under 7, I have become comfortable with chaos.  In our household a new challenge, tantrum, joy, or frustration explodes like popcorn every 30 minutes!  The secret to coping is to remain calm (I’ll let you know when I fully succeed!) and to set clear boundaries. Fortunately, as the parent I hold most of the cards (namely M&Ms and ice cream) so the governance structure is clear.

Not so for many organizations embarking on a digital strategy.

Digital initiatives often erupt without warning, often uncoordinated, overlapping, and moving at wildly different speeds. One team charges ahead while another lags. Tools are purchased in siloes. Projects duplicate effort or introduce conflicting systems.  This is what we call the digital “Popcorn effect”.

 

What Is the Popcorn Effect?

Originally coined to describe the decentralized nature of early digital transformation efforts, the metaphor is even more relevant today. Digital strategy now crosses more departments than ever before: marketing, IT, sales, operations, HR. These efforts require alignment and collaboration across functions.

When those efforts aren’t coordinated, chaos follows.

 

Who Owns Digital Strategy?

Of course the need to align executive teams on cross-functional initiatives is certainly not new. What’s changed is the complexity of ownership. Digital priorities today span departments with overlapping goals and competing priorities.

    • Should IT’s demand for a new infrastructure outweigh Marketing’s push for a new analytics suite?
    • Should Sales win the budget battle for a next-gen CRM?
    • Who makes the call when each initiative claims strategic importance?

In most cases, no single department owns the digital vision. This is exactly why governance matters. Departments must coordinate — not compete — to collaborate, prioritize, and invest in digital strategies that deliver both business and customer value.

 

How Has Digital Governance Changed?

Everywhere you look, there's a new tool promising to make your organization more social, more collaborative, more automated, more data-driven — and more chaotic if left unchecked.

Today’s digital tools evolve faster than most organizations can adapt, leaving leadership teams constantly reacting instead of strategically planning.Digital initiatives are now deeply interdependent, consider:

    • An AI tool used by one department may rely on data governed by another.
    • Automated workflows can unintentionally reinforce siloed processes or outdated logic.
    • Tech stacks evolve weekly, not annually.

Without a shared digital vision, these technologies can conflict or duplicate efforts — fast.

To be effective, governance now needs to address:

    • Shared data models and integrations
    • Ethical use of emerging technologies
    • System interoperability
    • Change management and communication planning

Without these components, even well-intentioned digital initiatives can derail each other.

 

Can Governance Support Agility?

Yes — and it must.

Many executives hesitate to introduce governance out of fear it will slow teams down. But the opposite is often true: governance enables speed by preventing missteps, rework, and confusion.

The key is creating lightweight but intentional frameworks that:

    • Set boundaries without micromanaging
    • Define interdependencies up front
    • Clarify who owns what
    • Provide escalation paths when conflicts arise

In short, the right level of centralized oversight improves efficiency while maintaining agility. Governance isn’t about adding red tape. It’s about enabling speed through structure.

 

What Questions Should You Be Asking Before Launching a New Digital Initiative?

This is where your calm, governance-minded leadership makes all the difference. The following questions form a simple but effective checklist:

    • How does this initiative help move us towards our vision?
      → If it doesn’t clearly advance your strategic goals, why is it being prioritized?
    • Do these tools or systems need to work together?
      →Ensure compatibility is assessed early to avoid data siloes or redundant platforms
    • How will customer or operational data be managed across systems?
      →Data ownership, privacy compliance, and accuracy must be coordinated across teams
    • Are we duplicating effort across departments?
      → Inventory existing tools and ongoing projects before greenlighting something new.
    • Can we share or coordinate internal and external resources?
      → Shared vendors, internal teams, and budget pools can increase efficiency.

Answering these fundamental but complex questions takes more than good intentions, it takes governance.  

What Role Does the Executive Team Play in Avoiding the Popcorn Effect?

Governance frameworks depend on executive alignment. Without it, siloed initiatives will continue to erupt unpredictably.

Leaders must work toward a common digital roadmap, agree on trade-offs, and commit to resolving conflicts collaboratively.

Just like parenting, staying calm (and consistent) in the face of chaos is part of the job. And while M&Ms and ice cream might work at home, your organization will need a more sustainable approach.

 

Final Thoughts

Digital strategy is no longer about isolated tech investments. It’s about building a connected, adaptive infrastructure that supports your company’s long-term goals, and that requires governance.

Without it, the Popcorn Effect persists:

    • Conflicting priorities
    • Redundant spending
    • Missed opportunities

With it, teams move faster together, align on priorities, and deliver lasting value.

 

Ready to bring calm to digital chaos?

Book a meeting with one of our digital strategy experts to start building a digital governance model that aligns strategy, technology, and execution across your organization.

 

This blog post was originally published in 2015. It has been updated with new content.
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