Digital transformation is the only route for the IT sector to improve. However, given the delays in adopting this approach, it is very difficult to start now that the market is bustling with solutions. And they are not cheap. In this article, we will be looking into what tools are to be prioritised in driving the change.
We are finally at the stage where the IT sector realised it’s falling behind with today’s demand. There’s a gap in efficiency, delivery speed and often quality. In other words, with the way things are now, there is only one way to solve the issue at hand - by getting the process of digital transformation going. However, with it being around and highly popular for years now, there are so many tools on the market it’s difficult for new adopters to choose which are the right ones for them. In fact, if you’re at the start of the journey, you probably aren’t sure what tools should be prioritised in the first place.
We understand it’s always daunting to start something new, especially when the starting point is unclear and there are financial risks involved. But digital transformation is the only way forward. To ease your mind, we are writing this article with clear suggestions on what should your tool prioritisation be in order to digitally transform the IT sector.
What is Digital Transformation in the IT Industry?
In the IT industry specifically, digital transformation means improving the quality, speed and efficiency of services provided by adopting digital tools to automate and optimise the existing workflows.
It is not recommended to dabble into it with the expectation of creating new processes from scratch but rather building up on the existing ones. When you have previous data available, it’s easier to see the impact of the new approach. Additionally, it’s easier to determine the problem areas and tackle them first.
The Core of Your Tech Stack
Let’s start with the basics. Your tech stack needs to have a solid foundation you can build on later on and, frankly, it’s often the trickiest step for companies to nail. Simply put, many aren’t too sure what processes in their businesses can and should be considered a priority. If you are one of them, the answer may surprise you...
Time and Expense Tracking
Time is your most valuable asset. Not keeping track of it is the biggest mistake one can make, especially when it comes to an industry as nimble as IT. A lot of valuable insights that could be pointing at your shortcomings or potential opportunities can be discovered by simply analysing your team’s time expenditure. From separate tasks to how much time is spent communicating, time tracking is at the heart of digital transformation.
Considering you most likely work with clients, expense tracking is inseparable from time tracking. As, well, you are charging for the time your team spends on delivering the project rather than the deliverables themselves. Additionally, unexpected costs often occur when running projects, be it charging the client for an outsourced worker or something as simple as covering travelling expenses for a specialist required on-site. The good thing is that often designated solutions already have these two modules working hand-in-hand.
Collaboration Platform
One of the biggest challenges is getting your team to work together in the most effective way. It can be tricky. While sure, your team will have a shared goal of delivering a project, there’s often a gap in alignment during the process. It mainly occurs due to people or departments being siloed due, meaning there is no full visibility of each other’s actions. This can lead to delays, miscommunications, the same tasks being carried out repeatedly by different people, data inconsistencies and many more.
A collaboration platform where your teams have visibility of one another and can actively work together is an absolute must. Team alignment is one of the goals of digital transformation overall, and it is surely something the IT sector has been lacking. Since most solutions of today are built on the SaaS model, they are normally available via an internet browser and can be accessed by multiple people simultaneously. This means your teams will be able to collaborate in real life, track changes the others implemented and build smoother, more efficient workflows.
Everyday Essentials
With the foundation out of the way, let’s look at other must-haves. Or rather the tools you will be using in your everyday life. While they aren’t mandatory, you will find that they make your day-to-day tasks quicker and almost fully automated, saving you heaps of time for other, more exciting and progress-driving things.
Dashboards and Reporting
Keeping a finger on the project’s pulse is crucial to understand how are doing overall, as well as to spot potential dangers and issues early on. It can, however, be a little tasking to go through a plethora of different solutions, accessing often multiple areas of them just to get one reading. That’s why solutions with centralised dashboards are at the heart of digital transformation. Most of them are customisable and adjustable with filters, meaning you choose what information and to what granularity to see. And what’s more, it’s the first thing you see when you log into the solution - no need to fish for data all over the place.
Of course, sometimes more detailed insights are required and that’s when reporting comes into play. If you’ve ever done a report manually, you know it’s the same song and dance as simply checking the metrics - only longer and more labour heavy, as well as prone to mistakes. None of that when your digitally transform the IT sector. Similarly to how dashboards serve you insights on the go, the creation and customisation of reports are also among the most important tools.
Pay and Bill
Expenses aren’t the only finances-related operation you will be running during the project. In fact, there is a lot of admin work involved when it comes to sorting out payments between all parties involved. The client, your permanent employees, your temps, the contractors and anything else in between. The worst of it is that a single mistake could seriously damage the trust and the relationship you’ve built up to this point.
Similar to reporting, reducing manual data input by trusting the software can do wonders in reducing the risk of human error. In addition, it takes over a range of tedious everyday tasks that may seem easy enough but tend to accumulate into huge time wasters. For example - invoicing. When you have to raise and send just one or two of them, it’s a couple of minutes' work. Raise the number to 20 and it’s a little less convenient. Now imagine doing 200. Everyday. The pay and bill module, on the other hand, doesn’t see it as a challenge and gets the job done in minutes.
The Process is Ongoing
Now that you’ve built your first tech stack and have started utilising all it has to offer you might want to relax. None of that! To keep digital transformation effective, you need to keep it going. Simply put, treat it as a process - because that’s what it is. Stopping means you will need to start all over again the next time. So keep the ball rolling.
Your Tech Stack Will Change
Digital transformation isn’t a one-off event and therefore it’s continuously demanding optimisation and improvements. Both lead to more insights that are to be used for, you guessed it, further optimisation and improvements. It’s a circle and it’s a matter of time until you outgrow the basic setup of your tech stack. Sometimes you may need to upgrade your existing core tools, sometimes you may need to throw new tools into a mix. And it’s okay.
Because your business objectives, your processes and the market itself change, your tech stack is expected to change over time. As long as you make sure all the platforms you use are linked together and the data is transferred over if you’re upgrading one solution to another, it shouldn’t be an issue. Many companies fall into the trap of refusing to walk away from the tools they’ve outgrown, either not wanting the hassle of hunting for a new platform or generally disliking the idea of a change. But why would you pay money for a service that’s limiting your growth? We strongly recommend running tech stack audits once every 6 months.
Summary
While there are many tools to choose from when bringing digital transformation to the IT sector, it’s best not to shoot yourself in the foot and start with the basics. As the process progresses and you understand what your more unique needs are or where the gaps that need to be filled are, you can always build your tech stack up.
The tools to form the foundation of your toolbox are a platform which your teams can use to collaborate and a solution that is capable of tracking both, time and expenses. These often already incorporate other day-to-day essentials you’ll need, such as dashboards, detailed reports and pay and bill tools. Digital transformation is an ongoing process where your strategy and approach will be changing as you go. However, when you have a solid foundation, it will be smooth sailing you will soon see it as an inseparable part of your business.
Ready to start the journey? We sure are.
