Digital transformation is often framed as a technology challenge. Organizations speak about new platforms, data standards, upgraded workflows and automation. Yet anyone who has spent time working in the offshore energy sector knows that technology is rarely the main barrier. The real complexity lies with people. Culture, habits and communication shape outcomes far more than any tool ever will.

Digital transformation starts with people

Across energy projects, teams are busy, priorities shift daily and the pressure to keep production safe and steady often outweighs longer-term improvement. Under those conditions, change can feel like an added burden rather than a benefit. This is why transformation often stalls. Not because the technology is lacking, but because people are not in the frame of mind to disrupt the status quo.

The offshore environment adds another layer. Information moves through many hands: contractors, engineers, operations, project partners and teams. Each group communicates differently and stores information in their own way. Even when everyone is working hard, collaboration can become fragmented simply due to the way work has been done for decades and due to the way contracts are written between these companies, requiring document-based deliverables.

This is the challenge digital transformation must solve. Its purpose is not to replace people but to enable them to work together more effectively, with clearer context and fewer barriers. 

Hybrid work changed how teams collaborate

One major shift that changed the way teams operate was the rise of hybrid and remote work. Before 2020, offshore engineering was almost always conducted in shared offices. Information lived in printouts, meetings and local drives. When everyone sat together, gaps in communication were easier to bridge informally.  

Today, teams are distributed across regions, time zones and work patterns. Without a strong digital foundation, misalignment happens quickly.

Visual collaboration plays a key role in rebuilding this shared understanding. We’ve seen how a single visual reference point can streamline conversations that would otherwise take days. A 3D field layout communicates context more clearly than multiple PDFs. When teams can see the same thing, they can discuss, decide and solve problems in a more focused way.

Making changes stick

But technology alone cannot shift culture. Tools need to support the way people naturally communicate. Leadership needs to reinforce shared ownership rather than isolated decision-making. Processes need to evolve so that clear data, shared context and visual alignment become part of everyday work.

This kind of cultural shift does not happen quickly. It requires champions who can articulate the value of working differently and teams who are willing to break old habits. And it requires tools that feel intuitive, accessible and worth adopting.

By putting data, visualization and context into a shared environment, FieldTwin helps teams communicate with less friction. Decisions become faster because the information supporting them is clearer. Knowledge stops disappearing into email threads or personal folders because it becomes centralized and visible.

Digital transformation succeeds when technology amplifies human capability rather than competing with it. The best tools are those that help teams align quickly, understand the full picture and carry knowledge forward.

People are the engine behind every successful transformation. Technology is the support system that gives them the clarity and confidence to move forward. When both are in place, digital transformation becomes more than a goal. It becomes the natural way teams work together in an increasingly complex offshore energy landscape.