IDC’s Future Enterprise Podcast
Future Enterprise brings you thought-provoking and in-depth conversations on the leading edge of technology. Expert-led discussions are focused on how data and technology are reshaping the workplace, applied technology and software. They involve envisioning what the future of remote working will be like, or how organizations need to reshape their industries with digitally-enhanced products and services, or leveraging data for competitive advantages. Our podcast is for business and technology executives and offers applied examples from the field, showing technology trends in action.
Speakers in this Episode
“[The Future of Digital Infrastructure}…Enables companies to deliver services and experiences more quickly and more reliably than ever.”
Joseph Pucciarelli, Group Vice President & IT Executive Advisor, IDC
Host of Future Enterprise Podcast
“Digital infrastructure is the foundation for making that digital-first a reality for organizations, because it gives you the confidence that you can innovate, at scale.”
Rick Villars, Group Vice President of Worldwide Research, IDC
“Innovation is based on the perspiration of the past.”
John Hill, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Carhartt
What is the Future of Digital Infrastructure Podcast episode about?
In this Future Enterprise podcast episode, IDC covers the future of digital infrastructure and how it enables companies to deliver services more quickly and reliably than ever before. In conversation with John Hill, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Carhartt, the podcast dives into the radical digital transformation this 132-year-old American apparel company embarked on. They implemented a new point-of-sale and re-platformed their ecommerce environment, set up a new third-party logistics provider, changed their fiscal year and more. All of this was accomplished in an aggressive time frame, and could serve as a blueprint for other organizations pursuing a similar path.
Learnings from Carhartt’s Digital Transformation
When asked about how he would advise organizations, with leadership teams that are less enthusiastic about large-scale digital transformations, John Hill highlights the following three insights, from his experience at Carhartt.
- Think about the risk faced as a business from not having a more modern infrastructure.
- Recognize that there are critical new business initiatives that need to get done and adopting a new digital infrastructure model opens the ability to grow and expand, in shorter time frames.
- Part of the value of digital infrastructure is that it is easier to connect with partners, because your infrastructure is aligned.
As a result of Carhartt’s new digital journey, they are able to compile data to understand the wants and needs of their customers, and are more closely connected to their supply chain.
The Shift to Digital
The IT industry has seen massive changes. It used to be about data processing, hardware and software, but today the focus is on digitizing products and services. More than half of products and services are expected to be digital, or digitally delivered, by the end of 2022. This shift to digital is how organizations need to evolve and adapt, with large investments in digital infrastructure. Group Vice President of Worldwide Research at IDC, Rick Villars, is leading the way, with research and expertise to help enterprises evolve. He describes digital infrastructure as having three elements: 1) It is very much cloud-native, 2) Ubiquitous deployment. You should be able to deploy the new capabilities of the technology in new locations, with different geographic requirements. And 3) The infrastructure is self-regulating and self-managing, and leadership’s job is in setting the policies and governance.
The Biggest Change Ushered in by Cloud
The need for the 3- to 5-year upgrade is a concept of the past. No longer will organizations have to wait for update cycles to make new projects and implementations work. With new digital infrastructure, organizations can be more agile, and they don’t have to wait for existing systems to be fully depreciated before they can innovate. Digital infrastructure is not just a data center but enables organizations to leverage standardized data, to provide an improved customer or employee experience. IDC recognizes the role of cloud services in the future of digital infrastructure. Cloud-centric digital infrastructures will enable organizations to evolve, innovate and be more agile. It will allow for enhanced customer experiences and embedding intelligence and automation into business operations. While changes ushered in by cloud are already underway with most organizations, they will only continue to accelerate.
Listen to the Future of Digital Infrastructure podcast episode for more insights, and subscribe to Future Enterprise to stay up to date with our new episodes.
