Digital Transformation: Transforming Operational Processes
While transforming the customer experience will affect heavily what’s going on outside of the walls of the office, transforming operational processes will completely change the way you work. This can be accomplished in three main ways, as taught by MIT and Capgemini researchers.
Process Digitization
One of the key improvements technology can make in an organization is getting rid of repetition. Many repetitive tasks can now be automated with software, robotics or other means. The goal should be, if I have (or someone else has) to do this regularly, what do we need to do to eliminate it? Simple examples may include payment, customer setup, or data entry. More complicated examples might include the use of artificial intelligence to solve intermediate problems such as fixing broken production lines or anticipating/predicting inventory management and supply chain decisions in the event of upcoming changes to demand.
Worker Enablement
From introducing dramatic changes to employee flexibility, while also increasing the amount of time an employee is connected, to increasing communication between upper management and all levels of the organization, digital change can greatly enable employees. If the workforce has more access and is more accessible, a company’s speed to action can increase without the need of slow meetings and drawn out decisions.
Performance Management
As time is created through reducing redundancies and creating agility, there is an increased capacity to use data, insights and broader input from the organization for better decision making. Companies can more easily outsource what is outside the scope of their expertise, and focus on being the best product or service possible in their scope of value. Time can then be used for creating more time in the future and the virtuous cycle continues.
The digital landscape has completely altered the way a company can operate. Through digitizing processes, enabling workers and increasing the amount of time for creativity and value creation, a company’s operational processes can become one of it’s greatest assets to growth.