A Different Approach to Design Operational Systems is Needed!!!

I have had the opportunity to review some new strategies of some companies are taking to designing their systems for operations in 2020 to 2030, and I am pleased to see they have taken not just a technology approach. But really turn around and looked at “who they will execute work across their value supply chain” focusing on how they will have operate in this period then how they will be executing their work to achieve this.

Now technology is key as it will enable vision to be achieved in “agile “ world, while making it a sustainable evolution.

The diagram below illustrates our current summary of change in thinking needed in approach the bigger picture programs.

Traditional world of application to application (project) approach and technologies, and effectively technology lead vs operational lead. This does lead to different implementations, a focus on features vs operational experience and efficiency. Many of these projects are focused on improving the process efficiency, vs the product.

The approach we are recommending and leading is a more holistic approach that is “operational” lead so how companies will need to run / execute their business on a longer term, and day to day basis. Focusing now on product delivery band the correct time, at location, at the correct quality and margin. But then instead of focusing on the how, the recommendation is to look at the required work activities that need to be executed these could be automated or human intervention. Understand the end to end process/ procedures and work required to efficiently deliver the product at the correct time, location , quality and margin. 

Eventually it come back to technology and systems, but now driven with an operational focus, and it will be implemented in a way that enables sustained evolution / innovation of those operational procedures as the business changes.

It is important to understand that the world is not about short term solutions, (yes they want quick wins but sustainable solutions) we accept that operational procedures must change with the business, and the systems/ platforms must accommodate this change. This has not been the case in the past, and the other accommodation must be dynamically changing user base, where experience cannot be assumed.

Next week I will continue this thought pattern as this aligns with what we seeing in the IT/OT convergence where the leading companies are putting strong operational leadership over IT and the convergence so all programs (made up aligned smaller projects) deliver aligned operational value in a shorter time frame.