More and more companies realize that they would benefit from digital transformation. At the same time they ask themselves how, bearing maximal profit vs. minimal risk in mind. Five tips:
1. Build from the existing infrastructure
Employees and companies usually are reluctant to major changes. It is important to build new solutions based on the existing infrastructure and more importantly: the existing logic and way of working. “Evolution, not revolution.” An unusual statement in this age of bloated statements and disruption.
2. Select a platform that is easy to install
To achieve smooth transition, select an accessible platform that is designed to connect to various systems quickly and easily. This will not only save you time and money, it will also minimize the risks involved.
3. Choose real solutions, beware of tech-gadgets
It may be tempting to go for one simple app that tackles a certain challenge. Instead, always take a little step back, look at the big picture right from the start, and evaluate how this app fits in your long term strategy. In this day and age, it has become a lot easier to tackle large all-encompassing workflow problems quickly. Take advantage of these technology leaps. Oh, and work from the bottom up, instead of pushing ‘the solution’ down the management chain.
4. Beware of vendor lock-in
Select a digital transformation platform with the ability to grow and add functions and features along the way. Preferably choose an open-ended platform, open to third party development and features. Anno 2017, you can not afford to put all your eggs in one basket. Digital transformation goes to the root of your company. Would you like to give this kind of power to just one tech-vendor?
5. Real-time analysis
A platform that connects to the existing software and hardware systems will allow large streams of data to be captured and collected in the cloud. Data will then be linked, allowing real-time analysis. This is a giant leap forward compared to the old school analysis methods that focus on historical, outdated data. Real-time analyses provide a multitude of new insights, at the click of a button. With this in place, predictive and prescriptive analytics are just one step away.