Continuous Feedback for Data‐Driven Organisational Change: Implementing OTTO 's Digital Heartbeat
Journal
Information Systems Journal
Series
Special Issue Article
ISSN
1350-1917
Type
journal-article
Date Issued
2026-01-03
Author(s)
Van Giffen Benjamin
;
Michael Müller‐Wünsch
;
Yves Stalgies
;
Joe Peppard
;
Brenner, Walter
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Organisations implementing change initiatives routinely fail to maintain alignment between strategic intent and daily operations, detect emerging issues early or build sustainable data habits for continuous improvement. This paper examines how organisations can address these challenges through high frequency, data‐driven feedback systems that operate at the pace of organisational change. We analyse how OTTO, one of Europe's leading retailers, transformed from Germany's largest catalogue retailer into a digital marketplace platform. Central to managing this change was their Digital Heartbeat, a continuous feedback system that captured employee perspectives through 12‐week measurement cycles. Through three empirical episodes of change, we demonstrate how this approach maintained continuous alignment during software development, enabled rapid detection of training freeze impacts, and allowed differential recovery rates in customer service. Based on this analysis, we provide nine recommendations organised across three implementation phases: designing the approach, implementing it at scale and using the feedback loop to steer change. Our recommendations offer concrete, actionable guidance to executives and senior leaders, middle managers and change leaders. The approach scales from hundreds to thousands of employees, with adaptations for regulated industries and sectors with longer operational cycles. We conclude with boundary conditions for practitioners determining whether and how to implement data‐driven feedback for managing organisational change.
Organisations implementing change initiatives routinely fail to maintain alignment between strategic intent and daily operations, detect emerging issues early or build sustainable data habits for continuous improvement. This paper examines how organisations can address these challenges through high frequency, data‐driven feedback systems that operate at the pace of organisational change. We analyse how OTTO, one of Europe's leading retailers, transformed from Germany's largest catalogue retailer into a digital marketplace platform. Central to managing this change was their Digital Heartbeat, a continuous feedback system that captured employee perspectives through 12‐week measurement cycles. Through three empirical episodes of change, we demonstrate how this approach maintained continuous alignment during software development, enabled rapid detection of training freeze impacts, and allowed differential recovery rates in customer service. Based on this analysis, we provide nine recommendations organised across three implementation phases: designing the approach, implementing it at scale and using the feedback loop to steer change. Our recommendations offer concrete, actionable guidance to executives and senior leaders, middle managers and change leaders. The approach scales from hundreds to thousands of employees, with adaptations for regulated industries and sectors with longer operational cycles. We conclude with boundary conditions for practitioners determining whether and how to implement data‐driven feedback for managing organisational change.
Language
English (United States)
Keywords
change management
continuous feedback
data-driven management
digital transformation
employee engagement
organisational change
HSG Classification
contribution to practical use / society
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Wiley
Number
2026; 0:1-19
Start page
1
End page
19
Pages
19
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
benjamin.vangiffen@uni.li