Insights

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Lockdown and virtual working from home after COVID-19 are a reality so so what is required to move a business online in these unprecedented times  - Robin Pollock

  Strategic necessity after COVID-19 and 80% of businesses are now moving online, up from 50% a year before, but what else is driving it?  

1. Disruptive technologies and new market competitors
2. Drive for technology and business transformation
3. Brexit, Geo-political and regulatory (GDPR) uncertainty 
4. Cybersecurity - ransomware fraud and data breaches
5. Convergence M&A in technology, cybersecurity and law.

Digitally mature businesses grow faster so what is the Roadmap?

1. Vision – digital changes , new operating and business models 
2. Competitive assessment – rivals or disruptive newcomers
3. Prioritised list digital bets by strategy, capability, ability, return 
4. Gap analysis based on bets, capabilities and organisation
5. Roadmap – based on Digital Maturity Assessment
6. CEO, Board and Enterprise agreement and commitment
7. Repeat and continuously develop given market and technology

Data is your business so what architecture is required to free it?

1. Data Architecture - remove silos, decoupled layers, liberate data
2. Business Architecture - strategy and organization of processes
3. Application Architecture - shared data and seamless interaction
4. Technology Architecture – underlying technical implementation
5.  Data – regard as an asset, shared, accessible, all responsible 
6. Combine internal and external data into a smart business layer to allow online deliver for new businesses and initiatives
7. Migration, Implementation, Governance of above

Availability and accuracy are essential but what is required?

1. Business Continuity – tests, recovery, resilience, plans, review
2. Reduce technical and service provider diversity so risk and cost
3. Simple solutions – agile development, loosely coupled systems, incremental delivery, cross functional teams.
4. Confidentiality - level of access should be given appropriate processes, review and audit for legal and regulatory standards
5. Integrity – original data, no duplication, accurate, maintained, risk analysis, consistent and available.
6. Often Cloud based for cost, maintenance, performance, scalability, availability, operational and management tools 

Guard your reputation and  and follow new regulations

1. Lawfulness, fairness and transparency.
2. Purpose limitation, data and role minimisation, logging, alerts
3. Cybersecurity via patching, monitoring, testing, reporting
4. Integrity, confidentiality and accountability
5. Security based on network and operating system security 
6. Advanced access management, enhanced application security. 
7. Data Encryption, regulation, accountability, audit.
8. Compliance Business Framework, i.e. all responsible

Technology can help facilitate business transformations

1. Customer Centric –  full functionality, trust, personalised
2. Operational Excellence – simplify, innovation, efficiency
3. Continuous Innovation – data, technology, talent, offerings
4. Technology – data, digital platform, cybersecurity, AI/ML
5. Human Enablers – agile teams, cross functional, motivate, reward, challenge

For larger scale projects this will include Board level support

1. CEO not just sanction but prioritise and hold accountable
2. Clear targets – communicate cost savings, revenues, improved performance of agents, and satisfaction of employees and customers—and for new ways of working and the new capabilities required.
3. Secure investment – lower profits, current business and to build new, innovation with pilot Projects – easy wins, short-term, well defined, measurable project
4. CTO and /or Chief Digital Officer (CDO) – high calibre launch team, co-ordinate transformation