IT modernization for the Digital 2020 Landscape

As digital transformation landscape is demanding more interactive and flexible IT systems and organizations,
companies need an end-to-end approach for upgrading and managing business technologies

Most companies are facing critical IT Modernization issues, either in digitizing customer workflows, employee
management or legacy transformation. Since ages companies favor incremental approach to IT modernization in which
they focus on immediate points of pain and then subsequent issues as they occur. However, the digital transformation
disruption has created an urgent need for companies to modernize IT and keep the big picture in mind.

Do you want to modernize your IT systems?

When a company takes an end-to-end IT Modernization approach, the company redefines the strategy for growth and
improvement. The approach of incremental IT modernization, the organization includes IT as the critical part in
their division and becomes a trusted partner but not a critical decision driver. The incremental approach taken in
this scenario entails less risk; as if something goes amiss in the small software development project, the approach
cleans the problem in specific pain points. The approach also offers improvements through a small product-line
and/or services. Thus, leading the companies to faster connect with customer interfaces or tasks associated with
systems.

But, this approach has its own limitations!

The technology team addresses the problems in a system involving their own area of competence or internal business
unit. This creates islands of disparate system workflows and breeds complexity, keeping redundant systems and
processes working at their own pace. This limits growth and competiveness. When these companies pursue Digital
Transformation, there is a weakness at the core and IT-management systems are exposed to threats and weak
infrastructure. This leads to customers experiencing missing data links, poor experience, slow processing speed and
disconnected service.

On the other hand, the end-to-end IT modernization approach is effective and creates a supporting viable digital
framework. In this approach, the companies take 3 critical steps: Define the target state of the IT architecture,
Decide which elements (System, People and process) need to change and determine the sequence of scoping. It is very
important to carry these steps in systematic order, across all strategic units and with inputs from CEO, CIO, CXO
and IT directors

End-to-end IT modernization is less risky and potentially less expensive in long term. It paves the way for seamless
adoption of micro-services and emerging technology. This enhanced IT modernization ensures that companies have the
perfect IT capability for decades rather than just next few years.

Would you like to know more about DxSherpa and ServiceNow?

Implementing IT Modernization for Digital 2020 Landscape

Today, Tech that supports digital transformation activities cover the entire IT landscape; companies are trying to
define the thin lines between front and back office information system management. They are realizing that the old
ways of technology, process, decision making and operations are costing heavier. Business professionals are seeking
to change their approach in modernizing IT through the following 3 tasks:

• IT Modernization Goals

IT modernization brings business and IT leaders under one roof to define the modernization goals for the entire
organization. Together, they can set realistic and futuristic goals for digital transformation.

Sample questions to which goals are defined:

• Which technology driven project brings more revenue?
• What brings reduced cost in long term?
• What improves employee efficiency in short term?
• Which would give our company a competitive edge?

The team can define the categories of operations, products and implementations to be digitized or improved through
tech. even, the team can focus on improving customer experience, employee experience or even just channel connect.
The most important part is organization can partner with IT. Thus, IT and organization strategy can effectively
employ technology to perform better in a number of areas which include organizational services and a healthy
organizational culture.

• Operation, Technology and employees | where area to focus

With a clear road map at hand, IT leaders can decide how and whether to make specific changes to the elements of IT
architecture or workflow for example, front- end applications, middle connect, or even back-end applications or
servers which would help businesses in attaining their business goals.  Generally, only a few workflows need a full
revamp but others, with effective use of platforms can mitigate need for significant change. (Platforms like
ServiceNow can help fully redesign or mitigate changes if needed)

At first, the IT team should understand the current landscape and applications. Then, identify those technologies to
be improved, consolidated with other applications or removed. The team would then identify real time data, the
actual metrics for customer experiences, new launches etc.  The new digital technology framework defined should give
all the stakeholders 24/7 access to everything they want.

Once the IT team members have defined the core problem and solution, they must discuss the organizational and
operating model changes. Modernization can benefit processes, product and activities.

• Defining the Scope of Change

IT and business leaders should create a documented clear road map for modernizing by having two and three updates
lined-up with metrics for defined outcome. This would also give clarity on Joint IT goals and projects. The
technical interdependencies arising from road map need to be connected with incidence of systems to reduce costs and
efforts. This team can use any metrics to guide these discussions like IT investments, the amount of revenue being
generated, or productivity.

The transformation leaders can use these insights to outline possible scope of change for IT modernization. The
modernization either according to lines of business or geographic location can devise the right time-table with
ideal capital investments. With the connect between financial modernization and IT modernization, the process for
digital transformation can be started.

Conclusion

Organizations need to implement system changes either by backtracking and re-engineering or end-to-end modernization.
The joint forces with business units can think systematically about digital technologies and faster processes.  With
end-to-end IT modernization a strategic road-map can be laid for a foundation strong for decades and technology
integration can ensure productivity for the organization.