FUTURE TECHNOLOGY
What this means for data initiatives is that you must pick the right use cases having identified who does what when and how .
Look out the window
If the past few years has taught us anything it is that the most powerful insights occur when looking outside the confines of the business . There are entire networks of data and intelligence available across a variety of industries .
Properly integrated into the enterprise ’ s data environment , they can help with supply-chain visibility and a range of other trend-watching use cases . They can boost efficiency and time to market .
For example , imagine the value to a car manufacturer of a data feed of hundreds of millions of part purchases and repair events . Consider the efficiency gains of analysing this data that has come from across the industry , not just inside the individual business .
Cloud environments make it easier to provide security at scale , another vital component in a region beset by ransomware and other threats .
Walk softly and focus
Jumping in with both feet on any largescale change project is a recipe for disappointment . Be data informed . Ask questions . Find out what is available and what use it may have . It is all well and good to have millions of records on hand , but if they do not help accomplish a specific business goal , then what is the point ? Be data driven . Determine ways of using what you have to generate useful insights and make better decisions .
But to reap the greatest benefits , be data led . Establish a constant feedback loop that enables real-time , even automated , decisions through intelligence that is embedded into processes and workflows . This is where every company should aim to be .
Supply chains , economic disturbances , social hurdles . The challenges never stop , so neither can the data evolution of a competitive business .
Data insights in a data-led organisation will come from many quarters . But if the right strategy is in place , then no corner will seem too troublesome , and no horizon too daunting . •
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS 37