Tools for Digital Transformation of the IT Sector
Published: 23/07/2023
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Digital transformation is the only way for the IT sector to improve. However, due to delays in adopting this approach, it is now very challenging to begin, especially since the market is bustling with solutions. And they are not cheap. In this article, we will examine which tools should be prioritised to drive the change.
We are finally at a point where the IT sector realises it’s falling behind in meeting today’s demands. There’s a gap in efficiency, delivery speed, and often in quality. In other words, given the current situation, there is only one solution — to accelerate the process of digital transformation. However, as it has been around and highly popular for years now, there are so many tools on the market that it’s difficult for new adopters to choose the right ones for their needs. In fact, if you’re just starting out, you probably aren’t sure which tools should be prioritised first.
We understand that starting something new can be daunting, especially when the starting point is unclear and there are financial risks involved. However, digital transformation is the only way forward. To put your mind at ease, we are writing this article with clear suggestions on what your tool prioritisation should be in order to digitally transform the IT sector.
In the IT industry, specifically, digital transformation involves enhancing the quality, speed, and efficiency of services by adopting digital tools to automate and optimise existing workflows.
It is not advised to dabble in it expecting to create entirely new processes from scratch but rather to build upon existing ones. When previous data is available, it becomes easier to see the impact of the new approach. Additionally, it’s simpler to identify problem areas and address them first.
Let’s begin with the fundamentals. Your tech stack must have a sturdy foundation that you can build upon later, and honestly, this is often the trickiest part for companies to get right. Simply put, many are unsure about which processes in their business should be prioritised. If you are one of them, the answer might surprise you...
Time is your most valuable asset. Not monitoring it is the greatest mistake one can make, especially in a fast-moving industry like IT. Many valuable insights that could reveal your weaknesses or opportunities can be uncovered simply by analysing your team’s time expenditure. From individual tasks to communication duration, time tracking is central to digital transformation.
Since you most likely work with clients, expense tracking goes hand-in-hand with time tracking. After all, you are charging for the time your team spends delivering the project rather than the deliverables themselves. Furthermore, unexpected costs frequently arise during projects, whether it's billing the client for an outsourced worker or covering travel expenses for a specialist needed on-site. The good news is that many existing solutions already integrate these two modules seamlessly.
One of the biggest challenges is getting your team to work together as effectively as possible. It can be difficult. While it’s true that your team will share the goal of delivering a project, there’s often a gap in alignment during the process. This mainly happens because people or departments are siloed, meaning there is no full visibility of each other’s actions. This can cause delays, miscommunications, tasks being duplicated by different people, data inconsistencies, and many other issues.
A collaboration platform where your teams can see one another and work actively together is essential. Team alignment is a key goal of digital transformation, and it is certainly an area where the IT sector has been lacking. Since most solutions nowadays are based on the SaaS model, they are typically accessible via an internet browser and can be used by multiple users simultaneously. This allows your teams to collaborate in real time, track the changes others make, and develop smoother, more efficient workflows.
With the foundation settled, let’s consider other essentials. Or rather, the tools you will use daily. While they aren’t compulsory, you’ll find they make your everyday tasks quicker and largely automated, saving you plenty of time for other, more exciting and growth-focused pursuits.
Keeping a finger on the project’s pulse is crucial to understand how we 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 customiseable 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.
Certainly, sometimes more detailed insights are necessary, and that’s when reporting becomes essential. If you’ve ever prepared a report manually, you know it’s the same routine as checking the metrics—only longer, more labour-intensive, and more prone to errors. Not an issue when you digitally transform the IT sector. Just as dashboards provide real-time insights, creating and customising reports are also some of the most important tools.
Expenses aren’t the only finance-related tasks you will manage during the project. In fact, there is a lot of administrative work involved when it comes to arranging payments between all parties involved. The client, your permanent employees, your temps, the contractors, and everything else in between. The worst part is that a single mistake could seriously harm the trust and relationships you’ve built up to this point.
Similar to reporting, reducing manual data entry by relying on software can significantly minimise the risk of human error. Additionally, it takes over a variety of monotonous daily tasks that might seem simple but tend to build up into major time sinks. For example - invoicing. When you need to raise and send just one or two, it takes a couple of minutes. Raise the number to 20 and it becomes a bit less manageable. Now imagine doing 200. Every day. The pay and bill module, however, doesn’t see it as a challenge and completes the task in minutes.
Now that you’ve built your first tech stack and started utilising all it offers, you might want to relax. But don’t! To keep digital transformation effective, you need to maintain momentum. Simply put, treat it as an ongoing process - because that’s what it is. Stopping means you’ll have to start all over again next time. So, keep the ball rolling.
Digital transformation isn’t a one-off event, so it requires continuous optimisation and improvements. Both lead to more insights, which are used for even more optimisation and improvements. It’s a cycle, and sooner or later, you’ll outgrow the basic setup of your tech stack. Sometimes, you may need to upgrade your existing core tools; other times, you might need to add new tools to the mix. And that’s perfectly fine.
Since your business objectives, processes, and the market itself evolve, your tech stack should also adapt over time. As long as you ensure all the platforms you utilise are interconnected and that data is transferred when upgrading from one solution to another, it should not pose a problem. Many companies fall into the trap of refusing to abandon tools that they have outgrown, either because they want to avoid the hassle of searching for a new platform or because they dislike the idea of change. But why would you pay for a service that limits your growth? We strongly recommend conducting tech stack audits every six months.
While there are many tools available when implementing digital transformation in the IT sector, it’s wise not to shoot yourself in the foot by starting with the basics. As the process develops and you identify your more specific needs or the gaps that need to be addressed, you can always expand your tech stack.
The essential tools to establish your toolbox include a platform that your teams can use for collaboration and a solution capable of tracking both time and expenses. These often already incorporate other daily essentials you’ll need, such as dashboards, detailed reports, and pay and bill tools. Digital transformation is an ongoing process, and your strategy and approach will evolve as you progress. However, with a solid foundation, the journey will be smooth, and you'll soon see it as an integral part of your business.
Ready to begin the journey? We certainly are.