Nowadays, the cloud is often used by companies to increase efficiency. Even if this technology seems ideal, it can also quickly lead to an efficiency loss for the entire structure. Back to childhood: let’s learn to walk before running. process is essential for the successful implementation of a digital transformation strategy. A collaborative effort between management and operational teams is necessary to successfully implement this project. Leaders must work closely with the teams assigned in order to ensure a cohesive top-down and bottom-up approach.
We might think that using the cloud does not require a strategy for a business. But it is precisely this lack of strategy that leads to a loss of efficiency. On the contrary, thoughtful thinking enables you to anticipate all the interactions necessary for the sustainability of the cloud. The strategy to be adopted is based on two legs: the maturity of the IT environment and its usage in operations. It is necessary to keep in mind the change management and adoption for the end user. This will be key in the success of the project.
For this, it is important to draw attention on the limits of a cloud that does not comply with traditional and productive procedures. To illustrate those limits, we can take the example of documents scanning.
At the zero level of technological maturity, the scanning and processing of documents is not centralized and the operating model is very heterogeneous. This does not allow the organization to evolve technologically.
The company can develop its efficiency by creating a mailroom that centralizes, scans, transfers and then saves documents. The chances of loss are thus reduced or inexistant. However, we still lack effectiveness and efficiency. The company is then at its first level of technological maturity. The challenge is to evolve the operational process and the computer environment around it.
Only the structure can set up a scanning system with an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) engine that quickly recognizes the document and allows the flow to be automated. This helps to secure the process but also to increase efficiency. This is the second level of maturity. It uses technology to produce a certain link of the process through automated flows.
The next step is to deploy the cloud throughout the scanning workflow. Documents are sent to the right person through automated processing streams. At this level, the creation of intelligence allows many possibilities. For example, it is now possible to open this system to outsiders. The solution enables significant accessibility for any stakeholder in the structure (internal et external). Adequate centralization and automation will allow the organization to remove all constraints related to data capture, guarantee the adoption and secure standardization of data. The company thus benefits from data quality and maximum efficiency.
The company being at the maximum of its technological maturity will be able to conjugate the interactions developed in the previous paragraph while setting up a reporting system. This will allow you to monitor and monetize the data produced in the cloud. The process thus becomes efficient, secure, efficient and wealth-creating for the company.
By analyzing the different procedures for document scanning, we can demonstrate that a simple task can gain efficiency through several phases of evolution. However, two elements are to be taken into consideration for this efficiency: on the one hand, it is essential to carry out an audit of your IT maturity in order to know on what level you are currently positioning; on the other hand, the realization of this structural development must be accompanied by a concrete and effective action plan taking the progressive process, step by step. Similarly, if the strategy seems accessible, the Board of Directors and the Strategic Board must carry out a permanent technological vigilance on IT maturity. But also to allocate a budget, otherwise the system risks quickly becoming obsolete. Finally, the development of an efficient, effective cloud requires to be accompanied by specialists with a technological vision but also with extensive operational experience in the industry.
Published in Grands Dossiers | Paperjam