Transforming Business With Digital Infrastructures

Finding the correct digital infrastructure architecture and modernisation path is crucial for technology roadmaps.

FREMONT, CA: Digital transformation is more than just creating digital infrastructure; it is the process through which firms integrate technologies across their operations to generate fundamental change. Enhanced efficiency, increased company agility, and, ultimately, the creation of new value for employees, customers, and shareholders are some of the benefits. The business mandates underlying the term, rethinking old operating models, delivering rich digital experiences, experimenting more, and becoming more nimble in the ability to adapt to customers and competitors are not going away. The digital transformation of many businesses is essential to their existence.

Three-Phase Approach to Digital Transformation

• Modernisation as a Base Building Strategy

Modernisation creates the foundation. It is advisable, to begin with, modernisation initiatives that do not transform the business but rather build the capability and expertise needed to be successful with more ambitious and intricate projects in the future.  Offering contemporary user experiences that give user journeys that are friendly to customers, as well as streamlined and digitised processes and services is how modernisation efforts start the process of building digital infrastructure.  

Departments like HR and Sales have embraced SaaS systems to modernise and improve user experiences and business processes, which has been known as grassroots digital transformation in many firms. Without a comprehensive modernisation strategy, customers are now subjected to fragmented user experiences brought about by the combination of old systems and SaaS solutions.

By adopting a digital experience platform (DXP) to manage access to existing enterprise systems and create personalised user journeys, digital infrastructure transformation can be greatly expedited. A DXP can use current business and SaaS platforms without significantly altering those systems.

DXPs are effective software because, despite the complexity of the business model, they can be customised to meet the demands of the organisation. A digital experience platform can offer self-service touchpoints for customers. Automation of procedures and system access, as well as the provision of a productive self-service portal, can benefit personnel. It may entail developing supplier portals that offer visibility into demand planning, logistics, and release timetables for the sake of operations. The modernisation stage will strengthen the organisation's digital capabilities, lay the groundwork for more complicated digital projects, and produce immediate benefits to help pay for future investments. The point of the spear is modernisation.

• Building Digital Infrastructure

The next stage of developing the digital infrastructure can start once modernisation has taken root and the construction of the digital delivery system is suitably developed. To transform the organisation as a whole, this phase entails developing the essential digital technological muscles. To do this, cloud infrastructures must first be built, and then applications must be moved onto the cloud using containerised methods. The foundation for application modernisation and the zero-trust model is supported by the usage of serverless computing, API gateways, and the development of microservices.

The objective of this phase, when paired with the skills acquired during modernisation utilising the DXP, offers a flexible digital infrastructure adaptable to future developments. This step is crucial for laying the stage for a digital-first organisation's technical capabilities as well.

The development of flexible data architectures and knowledge graphs of enterprise data to support new user experiences and process improvements is a crucial supporting component to leveraging modernisation and rethinking operational models. In other words, maximising the knowledge and data that a business has already produced over a long period and bringing them to the surface in a clever, accurate manner enhances decision-making processes.

• Creating Enterprise-wide Impact

True enterprise-wide transformation can be started once the aforementioned digital infrastructure is in place. The focus of this phase will vary depending on the industry and relevant business drivers, but it is often on enhancing current operations. These cross-functional, enterprise-wide reforms entail rethinking operational models, aligning old organisational silos, and developing appropriate governance frameworks. In typical projects, new revenue models are developed using IOT data or by setting up digital selling channels, processes are optimised using data from smart devices and customer demand signals are captured to increase supplier visibility and responsiveness.

Most crucially, this phase is about individuals as much as it is about technology. It entails examining how a new, cutting-edge digital infrastructure might help the business or organisation reach its full potential and help you become digital-first.

The Construction of Digital Infrastructure is a Marathon, not a Sprint.  

Multiple organisations will carry out a portfolio of projects that might cover all three areas. It is unlikely to see digital transformation processes occurring linearly. For instance, they might start modernisation to achieve quick wins and cut costs while also starting to move applications to the cloud, researching Cloud-based technologies for application modernisation, and launching pilot programs for operating model changes that take advantage of modernisation efforts for process changes. 

Developing the digital muscles using a DXP to start the modernisation process can have relatively immediate benefits, such as improved customer interactions and increased revenue, more productive personnel serving customers, and more effective supply chain operations. Implementing the three-phase strategy for digital transformation guarantees a positive experience and gives the business flexibility when it matters most.