Digital Transformation & Intelligent Automation

January 31, 2018 / G C Network / Comments Off on Digital Transformation & Intelligent Automation

Interoperability: A Much Needed Cloud Computing Focus

By G C Network | February 10, 2014

Cloud computing transitions information technology (IT) from being “systems of physically integrated hardware and software” to “systems of virtually integrated services”. This transition makes interoperability the difference between the success…

Managing IaaS and DBaaS Clouds with Oracle Released

By G C Network | February 6, 2014

Over the holidays I actually spent some time reviewing the newly released “Managing IaaS and DBaaS Clouds with Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control 12c“. This book is a step-by-step tutorial…

Veterans 360: Helping Young Combat Veterans Succeed

By G C Network | February 5, 2014

Refusing to accept the 30 percent unemployment rate for California veterans between the ages of 18 and 24, Veterans 360 (V360) offers recently-separated combat veterans the opportunity for a solid…

Veterans 360 Paves the Way with Cloud Certification Training

By G C Network | February 3, 2014

In keeping with their mission to support young combat veterans’ transition into civilian life, Veterans 360 plans to launch a free Cloud Technology Certification training program. Vets360-Cloud will give veterans…

DBT-Data is a Force to be Reckoned With

By G C Network | January 27, 2014

DBT-Data further established itself in the data storage industry as a formidable force with the $35 million dollar purchase of the state of the art Cyber Integration Center on 1175…

2014 Federal Intelligence Summit – Washington, DC

By G C Network | January 10, 2014

DBT Data and Potomac Officers Club are excited to announce that Al Tarasiuk, CIO of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), will be part of an ICITE…

3rd Annual World Congress of Cloud Computing 2014

By G C Network | January 7, 2014

Today I am proud and honored to announce that I will be participating in this year’s 3rd Annual World Congress of Cloud Computing 2014! Highlighting the theme of “Chinese Dream…

NRRC Video Series – Video 8 : Raytheon R3 Decision Support Tool and Advanced Tactical System

By G C Network | December 23, 2013

In September, the NCOIC delivered the Geospatial Community Cloud (GCC) demonstration. Sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, this demonstration showed how an interoperable, hybrid-cloud operating environment can be quickly enabled…

NRRC Video Series – Video 7 : Dave Boulos Demonstrates Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) Management

By G C Network | December 20, 2013

In September, the NCOIC delivered the Geospatial Community Cloud (GCC) demonstration. Sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, this demonstration showed how an interoperable, hybrid-cloud operating environment can be quickly enabled…

Just Pinched Myself ! Part of a “GovCloud Dream Team” !!

By G C Network | December 12, 2013

DBT-DATA provides reliable, flexible, and cost-effective data center solutions to federal, enterprise, and internet customers. With premier facilities in Ashburn, Virginia and the Cyber Integration Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, they…

 
By Kevin Jackson & Dez Blanchfield
 
Digital Transformation often needs Intelligent Automation. This type of change is the focus of a recent “Pioneers of Possible” podcast.  In discussion with Elli Hurst – Vice President, Global Automation – IBM Global Business Services (GBS), Dez Blanchfield finds out how her life’s journey inspires her in helping IBM clients use Intelligent Automation to enable globally integrated capabilities.
 
With six years at Price Waterhouse and 24 years at IBM, Elli seems to have moved a long way from her family’s restaurant business. The service industry passion that she learned from her father, however, is still deep in her heart. That care and passion areevident in how she focuses on understanding her client’s desired business outcomes. By using these targeted outcomes as a beacon for every engagement, her team helps clients align and execute on priorities in a manner that delivers a returnon investment in months.
 
Her being a technology company executive, it is surprising to hear her describe technology as only “table stakes.” While recognizing the critical and fundamental role that technology plays, Ms. Hurst prioritizes the need for process and people elements to work together with the technology.  While automation typically starts with a focus on reducing cost, it moves quickly to the delivery of value. Cost efficiencies exist, but value gained by the speed at which an enterprise can perform a business process with high quality is more important than to cost savings. According to her, attaining these types of business outcomes and values stem from a strategy that addresses:
  • Impact onthe business and to the people that are performing work;
  • How people interact with the technology and automation;
  • How people can help enable automation; and
  • What new skill setsare needed.
The answers to these points are the basis for a successful Digital Workforce Strategy.
Organizations often err by trying to automate what people do.  Ms. Hurst’s insight is in knowing that automation should be designed to assist people in what they do which represents the real secret to bringing automation forward into the enterprise. Automation always impacts a workforce and jobs always change. Business value is released, however, when this change frees up innovation and unveils more exciting projects and tasks for that workforce.
 
The impact of automation on the workforce is not a bad thing; it is a good thing. Elli recommends “Taking it to the Positive” by getting buy-in and engaging the workforce teams impacted by automation. Experience has taught her that while point solutions may deliver 40% increases in efficiency, used in tandem with a Digital Workforce Strategy, they can simultaneously deliver a 95% increase in employee satisfaction. Establishing and executing that strategy is the key to any transformation that uses automation.
 
Another one of her telling observations is that automation drives the most significant disruptions to back-office repetitive tasks. By looking at the end-to-end business model through an industry lens, her teams have helped clients to impact the external world beyond the back office and through to the client’s customers. Described as enabling digital experience “concentric circles,” this process enables enrichment of a client’s entire business ecosystem.
 
The automation conversations usually start in a specific area, like robotic process automation, which has been spurred by a back-office disruption. Addressing any disruption like this requires a strategy because global automation is a journey that aligns business process with rapidly changing technology. The organizational strategy must be able to flex and continuously adapt its strategy. The typical 3-5 year strategy is no longer viable. Intelligent automation demands a “fail fast” strategic approach.
 
Ms. Hurst ended this fascinating conversation by describing the future of automation as the convergence of all technologies at the enterprise level. In her view, the enablement of self-healing, lights-out, information technology platforms will give business executives the ability to couple an integrated view of all business processes with an ability to take immediate and effective action through mobile devices.
 

This post was brought to you by IBM Global Technology Services. For more content like this, visit IT Biz Advisor.

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