December 20188 IN MY V EWCIOs MUST INVEST IN EFFECTIVE DATA STRATEGIES AND ENGAGE THEMSELVES IN THE TECHNICAL, ORGANISATIONAL, AND HUMAN ASPECTS OF DIGITAL REFORMSBlame it on my Australian roots, but in my opinion, rugby as it is today is one of the most exciting contact sports in existence. It is the perfect mix of the speed and movement of soccer and the hard-hitting physical nature of American football. It definitely gets my pulse racing just from cheering my favourite team on from the comfort of my living room!However, no matter your game of choice­soccer, rugby, or cricket­sports can easily be likened to a modern battle of wit, stamina, and teamwork. And hey, play hard or go home, right?Just like in sports, where teams try to outdo, outrun, and outplay another team, businesses are also on the quest to emerge as the winner in today's digital era. According to IDC, 60 percent of Asia-Pacific's top 1,000 enterprises will have Digital Transformation (DX) at the centre of their corporate strategy by the end of 2017. In fact, two-thirds of Asia-based CIOs will initiate a data and governance transformation to turn information into a competitive business differentiator.With the expansion of digital lifestyles, the world is generating more data than ever. This brings new challenges and tremendous opportunities for businesses to store, manage, protect, and leverage their data. For businesses, this unprecedented rush of data is a double-edged sword.On one hand, data-related issues can cause inefficiencies that may see the business lagging behind competitors, or be implicated in data loss and breaches. On the other hand, data can become a strategic asset and bring huge benefits to companies, if managed well.As big data becomes more mainstream, business, and technology leaders are shifting their focus away from hype to finding value. Gartner's survey found that more than 80 percent of its respondents weren't sure whether the ROI of their data expenses would be positive or negative, making it difficult to even ascertain the value of big data projects.So, in today's hyper-digital business environment where digital transformation is set to disrupt every industry, how can companies ensure that they emerge as champions? How can businesses efficiently extract value from data, without increasing cost and complexity?Taking some cues from the best sporting teams this year, here are some tips for businesses embarking on a digital transformation journey.1: Playing the Data Game Requires TeamworkIn November, the Ireland team executed a brilliant game plan against the All Blacks, heralding their first win against New Zealand in 111 years. Wonderful as the Irish performance was, a win like this against the All Blacks required more than muscle or wit.In particular, the team exhibited teamwork when they piled forward in a green frenzy, drawing on one another for strength as they formed a figure eight in tribute to the late Anthony Foley.Likewise, playing the data game also requires team effort. For the majority of businesses, true transformation begins when an organisation comes together to understand data and how it can make each employee's job easier and better. Only when data becomes part of the DNA of an organisation can the full potential of it be realised.According to IDC, 40 percent of companies across the Asia-Pacific are still managing backup, recovery, data protection, and analytics strategies at a departmental level. Businesses need to move from a siloed data management approach to an integrated one. There's no better time than HERE'S WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE SPORTS TEAM CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONBY MATTHEW JOHNSTON, AREA VP, ASEAN & KOREA, COMMVAULT
< Page 7 | Page 9 >