Becoming a data-driven enterprise is a goal that companies are increasingly considering. As organizations continue their journey towards digital transformation, they are dealing with increasingly complex data and tasks. And while data is considered critical to any efficient operation, it also has the potential to become the number one barrier to transformation.
According to the recent Breakthrough Study led by Dell Technologies, 62% of respondents believe they will miss the opportunity to become a data-driven company. Additionally, 33% of respondents believe their team will not be able to keep up with technological change. While technology is an enabler of human potential, the number of solutions and configurations can overwhelm workers with too many options.
- Have a clear vision of how digital transformation can help you achieve your business goals
Every IT problem starts with a business problem. Before you lay the groundwork for how to treat your data, think about the challenges you’re trying to solve as a business. Once you have that vision, you can articulate the right technology solution and partner with the IT experts on your team to design a plan. A phased approach takes into account your most important asset: your people. Give them enough time to understand and align with the strategy.
The real breakthrough in becoming a data-driven company comes when people and technology come together.
- Invest in the right edge and as-a-service strategies that can scale
As-a-service experiences help alleviate or reduce the burden of infrastructure management from your teams. When you work with a flexible IT consumption model, you can operate with agility. But you can also control and scale your environment, adapting to different dynamics. And there’s also an opportunity at the edge, where you can act on data close to its point of creation to generate it. With real-time data analytics, you can act faster and reduce the cost issues associated with sending large amounts of data to a central location.
- Automate routine tasks
According to the study, respondents say they would be willing to partner more with technology if the personal benefits were real and concrete. In fact, 69% would like to have more time to develop their skills and increase their functions. By automating work, people are more available to focus on what they love and on discovering business opportunities. And once their teams have enough time to analyze data with a strategic focus, decisions can be made.
- Start with small-scale pilot tests
The sandbox is perfect for the test-and-learn method. People feel safe and you have control over the impact. It’s one of the best tactics to gain insights from analytics while encouraging people to adopt and publicize successes.
- Provide coaching, mentoring and reassurance to your team
The real breakthrough in becoming a data-driven business happens when you bring people and technology together. So it’s paramount to recognize that while consumption-based IT models offer the necessary breathing room for your teams, you need to implement them in a way that is sensitive to human behavior. Make sure everyone has access to the necessary tools and has enough training and resources to use them to their fullest. Communicate and establish a platform to contribute ideas and be heard. Lack of communication is one of the areas where respondents say their teams struggle the most.
