OSS

How To Digitally Transform An Organization Effectively

Software is a critical strategic asset, not an operational nice-to- have"

~ John C. McCarthy, Forrester Research

Many businesses are struggling with the issue of how to sustainably combine disparate and frequently improvised digitalization efforts. Are there ways to hasten digitization and increase predictability of results? In the Harvard Business Review, Benjamin Muellerand Jens Lauterbachsuggestthree levers for expediting digitalization projects that would enable businesses of any size to benefit from genuine changes.

Mobility, social connection, data analytics, and cloud computing are a few of the technology innovations that have radically changed how businesses interact with and connect with their consumers. The transformation of the role of software in an organization from an IT-led back office function to a business-driven front line one, making it a crucial and strategic business asset, is therefore only natural.

Businesses are realizing that they need a fundamental digital transformation, which will need significant adjustments to their organizational structureand organizational efficiency, software developmentmethodology, and overall technology management.

Given our in-depth knowledge of every aspect of software product development and our recommendations, we highly urge firms to include the following strategies as part of their overall framework for digital transformation -

Adapt A Product-Focused Attitude

An "IT mindset" is capable of managing mission-critical systems and ensuring business continuity, but it is completely incapable of innovating or meeting the needs of the client. Businesses must adapt their "IT mindset," to develop a "Product mindset," do away with a "risk averse" culture, and adopt a "value addition" culture in order to endure and survive the tectonic shifts in the business and technological landscape.

Cultivate In-Depth Domain Knowledge

A good product development team requires much more than a strong IT staff, which also needs solid technological expertise. To translate business requirements into concrete, functional requirements for the software product or service, it requires individuals with in-depth knowledge of the business domain. This will only be possible if you have a core group of individuals working diligently across a product's many lifetime phases. In order to produce cutting edge products and services, it is crucial to establish a committed team with deep subject understanding over time.

Utilize Agile Methods

The primary objective of the internal procedures used to manage ordinary IT operations is "stability." Businesses must modify best practices, workflow, and processes when they transition to an "agile approach" in order to promote quick product (IP) creation. Agile IT processes that have been reinvented must be built on speed, creativity, time-to-market, and the capacity to provide real value to customers.

Backend Architecture Should Be Improved

Businesses will need to modify their current practices in order to encourage innovation without jeopardizing the technological architecturedependability of their backend systems. To meet the needs of mobile and cloud-based apps, which demand millisecond reaction times, the redesigned foundation needs a multi-tiered corporate architecture.

Create A Network Of Dependable Partners

Due to the rapid speed of technology change and the ensuing organizational transformation, businesses will undoubtedly not be able to manage all aspect of operations in-house. Businesses that struggle to develop the skills and competencies required to develop sophisticated software products and services must take into account distributed development with experienced offshore service providers who can be strategic partners in their efforts to embrace innovation and transform their industries.

Reference:

HBR – Speed up your Digital Transformation