When we talk digital maturity, the technology pillar is imperative. All of the digital capabilities we have discussed in the various pillars rely on the solid foundation of your technology, which is why it has been saved as the final pillar to discuss in our Digital Journey Maturity Model blog series.
When discussing the technology pillar with clients, our digital commerce teams hear everything from the needs to integrate and synchronize data to requirements around needing expertise on an implementation roadmap for ERP to enable distribution.
Ask these same clients in 12, 18, or even 24 months if they feel they have digitally transformed after completing these requirements and the answer should be “no”. This is because digital transformation isn’t a single event; it is a continuous process of innovation that builds digital maturity and enables new business models. Continually innovating and optimizing your technology drives this transformation and keeps you far ahead as you outpace your competition.
Digitally mature companies recognize the value in connecting cloud-based technology services to build the compelling experiences we've all come to expect - both on and offline. With the right partners and platforms, these companies set the innovative pace for their industries and ride the wave of disruption past competitors who fail to do the same. Mike Pierce, Echidna CTO, explains that, “As modern technology platforms move to the cloud, companies have an opportunity to worry less about simply ‘keeping the lights on’ and instead focus their creative efforts on the business innovation they achieve through integrated technology services.”
It requires specialized talent and a strong business acumen to design, build, and operate the modern technology ecosystems needed to compete in today’s digital markets. The principal leaders at Echidna have been in your shoes and understand how important it is to select the right partners, platforms, and people to achieve and master mature practices. Our goal is to guide your journey toward technology maturity so that you achieve excellence in the following core tenants, build innovative momentum, and leapfrog your competition.
- Governance: We always start with governance. It’s easy to assume your IT leader or technology partners will manage the proper selection and implementation of your systems. But without mature practices that closely involve the business in decision-making, priority-setting, use, and innovation, technology efforts can often lead to a poor return on investment.
- Software Platforms: The platforms and the applications built upon them are what most businesses perceive as the point of value that technology provides. How these platforms are built, enhanced, and supported often have the greatest impact on the operations of that business.
- System Integration: Possibly the most underrated aspect of modern software platforms is how well they integrate into an ecosystem that minimizes duplication of data entry and the manual synchronization of information from one system to another.
- Data Integrity: Also essential to business value is the integrity of the data that business operates on. Data informs our decisions, reflects our performance, and delivers the right information to the right people whether they be employees, partners, or customers. If you don’t trust your data, nothing else matters.
- Architecture: A company’s software architecture determines both its agility and stability. As the complexity of this ecosystem increases and technologists are engaged in multiple streams of work to keep up with business demand and continually adapt to changing market conditions, how your systems are architected will determine how efficiently these changes can be made without disrupting ongoing business operations… leading to more agile and stable technology operations.
- Infrastructure: Often unseen and unappreciated. When infrastructure fails, it can have a devastating impact on business ops. The resiliency, recoverability, and stability of this foundation is critical to a modern digital business. Infrastructure provides the backbone for technology security, resiliency, & scalability.
Technology alone won’t propel you ahead of your competition. But combine it with the digital maturity of the other five pillars within your company, and competitors won’t stand a chance. As discussed over these past seven weeks, the Digital Journey Maturity Model is meant to provide a baseline for continuous innovation and define strategic and tactical success. Mastery of the six pillars we discussed in this series is essential to achieving digital maturity and to your company’s ability to adapt, adjust, and excel in today’s and tomorrow’s digital markets. That journey begins today! And we would be happy to guide you.
What pillars do you see your company already excelling in? Which pillars are holding you back from reaching your digital maturity now and in the future and why? Let us help you answer these questions as you move forward in your digital journey.
