Your Privacy

This site uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and deliver personalized content. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
COOKIE POLICY

Why You Need a Technology Strategy

Why You Need a Technology Strategy
Back to insights

Competing in the marketplace today requires technology and data-enabled strategies. 

We rely on technology more than ever to operate businesses as usual.  Most industries now rely heavily on technology and information to move forward.  Before the pandemic, many companies may have acknowledged this need, but very few were making steps to embrace it fully.  Companies that align technology, data and business strategy will thrive on being informed, efficient and innovative. 

By leveraging our client’s people, processes, data and technologies, we create strategies aligned to their business goals.  Our team has created roadmaps that address the gaps in client’s capabilities to manage existing data assets using governance processes, change management and technology implementation.  We have helped organizations with their cloud architecture strategies for application implementation by considering the constraints of staff size, technology knowledge and budgets.  Our approach to building these strategies leaves our clients better.

Strategy Development Framework

In a previous roleI provided input on a framework developed to help organizations create data strategy.  I recently went back and revisited the framework and compared it to our existing approach. Both frameworks overlap as they focus on technology and data to enable businesses to create value. What follows is an adaptation of how we help organizations think about strategy development.  It can be divided into two major parts, each having two main activities 

Assessment | Technology Strategy

The activities that are necessary to gain a thorough understanding of where you want to be versus where you are. 

  1. Business Need – What is going to create value for the business? Why do you need to change?  The need is often found in an organizations business strategy, objectives or KPIs.
  2. Current State – Where is an organization today (people, process, technology), and how ready is it to accept change? We need an understanding of the technology and data debt or existing assets. 

The assessment activities focus on understanding an organization by its technical capabilities and the business’s need to create new opportunities.  The divide between the need and the current state of the business allows us to derive a solution or set of solutions to better the organization.  This divide might be addressed by technology or new data analysis but can often require changes in process or employees.  Our approach looks at all of these things so that our recommendations take a crawl, walk, run approach to development. 

Future State | Technology Strategy

This phase of the process allows us to take the major inputs from the assessment activities and create a vision for moving forward. 

  1. Solution – Definwhat will bridge the gap between the need and the current state. Understand what is strategic for moving the organization forward 
  2. Roadmap – Solutions can often be substantial multi-phase activities.  A roadmap may require technology or process changes with dependencies to consider. This activity lays out the path forward for the development of the technology or data strategy. 

Our consultants thoroughly enjoy building the future state for our clients.  Driven by the latest technology and developments in data management, we create unique solutions through a management consulting approach focusing on people and processes.  Often the gaps identified in the assessment phase lead to multiple solutions.  Part of defining the roadmap is how to prioritize and lay out the solutions over time so that they create incremental value while addressing major pain points or market opportunities. 

UDig can help you determine your next steps forward when it comes to aligning your business strategy with your technology and data strategy.  Check out the following case study: Roadmap Provided Mid-Sized Bank with a Strategy to Foster a Data-Driven Decision Culture 

If you are ready to get started, and are looking for a roadmap, we have you covered. Download our technology roadmap template. 

Additionally, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn.  I am always willing to talk about your challenges and discuss potential approaches.  Let’s unlock the hidden potential in your organization. 

 

About Josh Bartels

Josh Bartels is UDig's Chief Technology Officer. He has been leading data and consulting engagements for over 10 years. Josh believes bridging the gap between business and technology departments in any organization is key to generating success and staying competitive.

Digging In

  • Strategy & Planning

    Optimizing IT Workflows for Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity

    In the digital age, where efficiency dictates success, precise workflow management is essential for IT teams striving to meet their goals and deliver exceptional services. UDig recently had the opportunity to collaborate with a client to enhance one of their business systems support team’s workflow management processes. This post highlights the transformation achieved through our […]

  • Strategy & Planning

    Bridging the Gap Between an Idea and Its Impact

    Transforming a vision or idea into a tangible outcome that creates real value is a common challenge that many individuals and organizations face. Often, ideas remain abstract concepts without a clear path to realizing them and generating measurable impact. This gap between having an idea and understanding how to effectively execute and achieve the desired […]

  • Strategy & Planning

    Future-Proofing Profitability: A Forward-Thinking Technology Strategy

    The demands of operating in today’s marketplace continue to evolve at a rapid pace, perhaps just as rapidly as the introduction of new and emerging technologies. While the use of technology brings many benefits to consumers, businesses, and organizations alike, it also puts constant pressure on C-Suite executives to monitor industry trends, adapt the business […]

  • Strategy & Planning

    Developing a Technology Roadmap Aligned With Business Objectives

    Adversity has long been one of the most powerful catalysts for change. When faced with unprecedented challenges like global pandemics, economic recessions, or geopolitical conflicts, innovative organizations find a way to adapt, overcome, and thrive while others falter. In modern times, this change is facilitated by emergent tech, and one of the best ways to […]

  • Strategy & Planning

    Technology Business Case Template

    Quantify the ROI on Projects Before They Start Today’s technologists have no shortage of projects to tackle. What’s often missing is an objective method to evaluate and prioritize key initiatives and compare them with your organization’s unique profit strategy. Our free template gets you there faster. Most organizations have extensive technology wish lists, but a […]

  • Strategy & Planning

    Creating a Tech Strategy to Power Growth​

    An 18-month roadmap that integrates data with technology for a robust strategy that expedites business value and results.