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Solutions Review\u2019s Contributed Content Series<\/u><\/a> is a collection of contributed articles written by thought leaders in enterprise tech<\/a>. In this feature, StreamSets<\/a>‘ Girish Pancha offers commentary on how centers of excellence drive digital transformation.<\/strong><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Part of the trouble arises from companies approaching digital transformation as a time-bound project rather than an ongoing initiative. If long-term change is going to be possible, it\u2019s going to take a dedicated team of specialists within the organization. A digital transformation center of excellence (CoE) is the only way to bring all the critical business and technical capabilities into an ongoing effort.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Gathering people with the necessary knowledge and experience and granting them authority over standardization, operating procedures, and budget allocation s is only the beginning. Without a well-thought-out strategy rooted in managing data, the team will face an uphill battle. Here are a few guidelines that CoEs must adhere to for effective digital transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n Data is at the very core of digital transformation. Without data, enterprises cannot make smart real-time decisions, stay competitive, or accelerate innovation. It\u2019s critical, then, that information assets must move seamlessly and at speed throughout an organization.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n CoEs should focus on connecting data, applications, people, and processes to create a unified, scalable integration platform. This platform should facilitate seamless communication between on-premises and cloud solutions, ensuring no data source is lost. In a world where data drives decision-making, maintaining the integrity and accessibility of data is non-negotiable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Data engineers must take many steps to connect, transform, and process data to build the pipelines that feed digital transformation projects with the right insights. But when data is siloed in multiple systems with inconsistent formats (called data friction), creating bespoke data pipelines at scale is a huge challenge. In one <\/span>report<\/span><\/a>, almost two-thirds of respondents (65 percent) said data complexity and friction can have a crippling impact on digital transformation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n C<\/span>ompounding the issue here are often disconnects between the line of business teams and engineering teams on what new solutions can actually deliver, which can have a crippling impact on digital transformation. CoEs must address data friction head-on by harmonizing data formats and streamlining data pipelines to ensure the right insights are readily available.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Data governance is essential for all businesses, especially for enterprise companies managing massive petabytes of data. Standards and policies are necessary to guide how data is gathered, stored, processed, accessed, and disposed of. Identifying and enabling data domain owners is also the best way to ensure data is accurate, consistent, and secure.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But today\u2019s companies need a modern approach to governance, not the traditional, top-down manner that hampers innovation. Instead, CoEs should promote modern governance practices that allow organizations to maintain control while keeping pace with the speed of business transformation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>Digital transformation efforts occur amid a complex mix of private cloud, public cloud, and on-prem hosting. This chaos of connectivity can be tamed through connections made possible by APIs, integration, and microservices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Companies can unlock innovations and modernize without building from scratch by enabling systems applications and partners to be relentlessly and seamlessly connected. This brings digital transformation within reach, as existing resources open a pathway for new digital products.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From one angle, digital transformation efforts can look like impossibly complex puzzles\u2014a web of technology, data, people, apps, processes, clouds, and connected things. That\u2019s why a CoE guided by a data-backed strategy has the best chance of achieving its goals. Digital transformation isn\u2019t about pipelines and projects and rules; it\u2019s about all those things together. A siloed approach won\u2019t get the same result as a dedicated team with resources, budget, and focus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As organizations continue to embrace digital transformation as a fundamental strategy, the guidance and leadership of CoEs will be pivotal in realizing the full potential of this transformative journey.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/data-integration\/files\/2023\/10\/insightjam_logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a>More than a decade after the phrase \u201cdigital transformation\u201d appeared in our business vocabulary, pulling off a successful project in that area hasn’t gotten any easier. Around 70 percent of digital transformation programs still <\/span>fail outright<\/span><\/a>, and nearly 87 percent don\u2019t meet their original expectations. Those are unacceptable numbers, particularly in light of almost 60 percent of executives citing digital transformation as their most critical business growth driver.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t![\"Download](\"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/data-integration\/files\/2021\/05\/21_Data_Integration_Buyers_Guide_Yellow_800.gif\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\nCenters of Excellence Drive the Best Digital Transformation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Ensure Data Integration and Compatibility\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Avoid Data Friction\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Embrace the New Governance<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
APIs: Making the Connection<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach with CoEs<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n