Are you ready to compete in the digital economy? Has your organization strategized and actively pursuing DX technology initiatives? Or is your organization just starting to figure out what it means to be digitally transformed? If you are just starting, you better quicken your pace, because IDC believes by 2020, 60% of all enterprises will have fully articulated an organization-wide digital platform strategy and will be in the process of implementing it.
Digital transformation (DX) is at the center of modern organizational strategies. IDC estimates the economic value of DX to $20 trillion, or more than 20% of global GDP. Advances in the 3rd Platform technologies and associated accelerators are transformation organizations and represent the largest driver of technology investment for the foreseeable future.
DX Platform
IDC defines the DX platform as the future technology architecture that accelerates DX initiatives for the enterprise, enabling the rapid creation of externally facing digital products, services and experiences while aggressively modernizing the internal “intelligent core” environment in parallel. IDC believes the organizations that can “re-architect for scale” will stand out as the most likely to be “digitally transformed” over the next three to five years and emerge as a digital-native enterprise at the same time frame.
The significantly different element of the DX platform is that it will be “data driven.” IDC believes new sources of data will continue to be brought into the DX platform from outside the enterprise, and will be fed analytically or by artificial intelligence models and code. These data sources will form the basis of the “intelligent core” that also feeds out to the “edge” and becomes part of the continuous virtuous cycle of data driven innovation.
Building your “intelligent core” requires an understanding of the data required and how it is used; selecting the right platform that meets your IT, business and digital needs; and making sure you select the right technology partners that can help address your short and long term digital transformation requirements.
SaaS and Cloud-enabled Solutions
DX requires flexible, agile software systems that are configurable, continuously updated, quick to implement, available anywhere and anytime, and highly scalable. Digitally transforming organizations recognize they need to shift to a more adaptable, scalable, and user-friendly technology as a crucial component of their DX strategy. Mid-size companies and enterprise organizations recognize selecting the right SaaS and Cloud-enabled will significantly impact their DX strategy success.
Recent IDC research has uncovered five ways organizations can improve their SaaS and Cloud-enabled vendor selection process:
- Don’t assume a product is perfect for your organization out of the box
Set your requirements and remember powerful configuration capabilities are required to make implementation a success. Don’t be swayed by the myth that “cloud is off the shelf and you get what you are given out of the box and that’s it.”
- Do expect immediate superior processes and workflows
Requiring specialized implementation is fine, but remember it doesn’t mean your chosen technology shouldn’t immediately work out of the box. Just be certain to confirm what the migration pathway will look like and how long it will take.
- Ask for reference and use case examples from your specific industry segment
It doesn’t always pay to the first in business especially when you’re the first users of a new product in your industry. Search for a SaaS and Cloud-enabled product vendor that understands and supports you and your business; a vendor that understands your needs will meet your needs. - Don’t make cost the determining factor
Business budgets have become lean and continue to do so. Additionally, business functions are expected to do more with less. This mentality should not move towards selecting a SaaS and Cloud-enabled software vendor because they have the lowest price. Negotiate the price, price of support and delivery expectations.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Technology selection can be a complex process. Reduce the issues, drama and concerns by depending upon rigorous research, like IDC MarketScapes. IDC MarketScapes assess vendors within a particular market, segment or functional area by examining the capabilities and strategies of the technology vendors.
The DX Journey
Navigating the DX journey can be fraught with confusion, complexity and misunderstandings. Move beyond the doubt and horror stories to a level of understanding so your organization can be part of the digital economy.
Learn more about the DX journey and how to add saaS and cloud-enabled solutions to your digital platform with IDC’s newest eBook, “5 Best Practices for Selection SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Solutions.”
Stay on the lookout for additional blog posts to help your organization navigate the uncharted waters on the DX journey.
