The Convergence of Informational and Operational Technology

The rapid pace of business transformation is blurring the lines between the role of information technology (IT) and operation technology (OT) as organizations look to automate and digitize tasks, redefine and orchestrate workflows and ultimately look to become digital businesses that are capable of providing frictionless customer, supplier and employee experiences.

Obviously, the desired outcome of a truly unique customer, supplier and employee experience is developing new and expanded revenue streams, profit pools and increased efficiency as vital human resources performing very mundane and manual activities move towards high-impact pursuits that generate maximum business value and greater stakeholder relationships.

The convergence of informational and operational technology teams is paramount in the journey to business transformation. If organizations are to achieve the ultimate objective of digitizing the business to ensure frictionless commerce it is imperative that information insights and operational insights align to deliver the foundational elements required to redefine key processes, workflows and value chains.

The organizational and cultural challenges coming at us cannot be underestimated – change is hard and all the logic in the world seldom causes people to move at the speed required, so leaders must focus on grabbing people by the heartstrings and getting them emotionally connected to the mission of becoming a digital business and how much stronger the organization will be once they’ve crossed the chasm and they have roles that motivate and truly create an impact that is more relevant and meaningful.

Clearly, individuals who report into the information technology or operational technology functions might feel uneasy as those teams converge and come together.

Remember when any medium to large to enterprise business had both a Telecom Team and an IT Team? Well IP network technology put an end to the need for two (2) separate domains as functions all collapsed down as the value chain was redefined by that technology transition.

Well, over time technologies such as cloud, 5G, robotic process automation (RPA) and a host of others will be deployed to ensure the information and application infrastructure is adaptable and scalable. Combine that with the need to adopt new business models and you can see why the convergence of IT and OT is a must.

Businesses require a structure that will allow for the agility, speed and responsiveness to meet the challenges of the market and the demands of the customer – face it, change seems to be the only constant in today’s accelerating business environment.

So, it’s inevitable that we’ll all be caught up in in a transformational business cycle, whether your organization takes an evolutionary or revolutionary approach towards change.

I can ensure you that if you can adapt to change and look at it as an opportunity, you’ll be successful. I’d suggest that you start by looking at your core strengths, skills and capabilities – then map them to the objectives of the business.

It’s about being relevant and valuable to the organization. Smart adaptable and hardworking folk’s will always have a place within a quality organization. Look for how you can enable the organization to be successful in its mission – you’ll never look back!

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Hope you found this brief insightful and as always, we’d be interested in your unfiltered feedback.