Successful change of course

To steer a container ship off its planned course on the high seas is sometimes a difficult undertaking. What can be easily accomplished in a few minutes with small agile dinghies can take some time with heavy cargo ships and requires preparation, planning and meticulous precision in the execution of the individual work steps.

While captains of container ships are rarely faced with managing unscheduled course changes, the digital architecture of many large companies is facing exactly the same challenges as a result of digital transformation. Structures that have grown up and are characterized only to a limited extent by simple maneuverability must be adapted as quickly as possible to the determining circumstances of the market.

The digital transformation - and with it the implementation of future-proof technologies and decisive innovations - is an immense treasure that must be recovered. The decisive factor here is that the strategic approach of all those involved corresponds to the desired objective and that possible future developments and wishes are also included in the planning. It is hardly surprising that modern means and strategic partners can provide a valuable advantage for the targeted evaluation and assessment of all necessary steps.

While many companies have already been working on various digital transformation projects for some time, in the DSAG Investment Report 2021 more than half of the respondents stated that they had not made much progress with their projects or had not even started their digitization work. At the same time, many transformation projects are navigating uncertain waters, especially during the first steps.

While it is often not clear at the beginning of a comprehensive digital transformation what the complete architecture of a company will look like, at least three major issues must be clarified for targeted process orientation: In what way and where should the existing databases be migrated?

Which applications are needed and must be transformed in the course of the realignment? And how will the cybersecurity of the target environment be ensured? In addition, most companies also ask themselves whether the basis for all these decisions should ultimately be an on-premises, a cloud-based or a hybrid approach.

Before the central aspects of digital transformation can be targeted, companies should first clearly define which tools are currently already being used. The fact that many companies - especially medium-sized and large ones - have structures that have grown over a long period of time and consist, for example, of a large number of interlinked SAP tables means that it is often impossible to make an assessment without an in-depth analysis.

In addition, these systems are largely based on decades-old technology that continues to do its job, but does not support promising links to important web applications. This problem is often compounded by a proliferation of different applications that have been used within the respective companies over the years.

But earlier digital transformation projects may also have contributed to the fact that partial modernizations have already taken place that are not necessarily compatible with a desired future use - for example, of S/4 Hana. Due to this opaque mix of possible problems, it therefore makes sense to first obtain an overview of the digital maneuverability of the respective company before starting the actual transformation project.

Devoteam S Team uses the Assess-o-Meter at this point. The aim of this approach is to ensure that the exact inventory and the planned target specifications are carried out with as much accuracy as possible. Until now, lengthy discussions and a large number of customer meetings were used to accurately assess the actual digital architecture.

After these, it then often became apparent that the actual results were frequently distorted by missing, withheld or simply incorrect information. As a consequence, the Assess-o-Meter relies on an intelligent and - wherever possible - digitized process. In addition, the evaluation enables companies to specify which infrastructures, cybersecurity solutions and applications should ultimately be included in their architecture.

On the basis of these three dimensions, companies can also make a targeted selection within the assess-o-meter as to which provider and technology they want to base their future architecture on. In each case, a distinction is made between an analysis of cloud-based target landscapes and potential implementation using SAP.

Based on the scope and objectives of the project, an offer is then prepared that covers the desired infrastructure projects and includes a detailed assessment of the architecture used to date. If the respective company decides to use the Asses-o-Meter, work on the project begins.

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Holistic approach

Since a complete evaluation of all aspects of a company's digital infrastructure can take several months and questionnaires are often filled out incorrectly, Devoteam S Team resorts to automated means wherever possible as part of the Assess-o-Meter. This can be seen particularly clearly in cybersecurity.

With the help of modern software components, the exact connections within the network can be recorded over specific periods of time and any anomalies, security breaches or potential problems and disruptive factors can be highlighted.

Similar tools and software are used as part of the Assess-o-Meter wherever this is technologically feasible. In addition to this, the parts of the architecture where this is not possible due to different manufacturer specifications are evaluated by experts using targeted investigations.

The successful evaluation by the Assess-o-Meter and the experts from Devoteam S Team is only the first step, which initiates the entire remaining process. As soon as the current status and the goals have been clarified, the digital transformation of all desired projects mentioned in the roadmap begins.

The decisive factor here is that all affected departments are brought on board during this process step and that no one remains excluded from the transformation process. Accompanying education and training as well as interim
evaluations ensure that the process is also accepted and supported by employees.

Particularly in the case of large projects in companies with a correspondingly extensive architecture, it can take several years until the set goals are achieved. That is why it is crucial in the course of the transformation process that all the necessary steps noted in the roadmap are reliably completed from a planning perspective.

This does not only include the timely termination of obsolete databases (see AnyDB) or cybersecurity licenses. In times of an increasingly complex market situation, the expiring support periods of individual products are also crucial for a targeted digital transformation and should be taken into account in the process.

Set sail made easy

Digital transformation is a process whose shallows can often present companies with enormous challenges. It therefore makes sense - especially in the case of extensive structures that have grown over the years - to rely on the expertise and planning skills of partners. The decisive factor here is that the goal is always kept in mind from the initial planning steps and evaluation of the actual architecture through implementation to the completed project.

After all, even large architectures can only be successfully maneuvered by means of strategically flawless planning and organization. This does not turn a container ship into a maneuverable dinghy, but it does guarantee that the maneuver is executed correctly and that the ship can set course for a digital future.

Interview: Digitization

Mr. Bormacher, the digital transformation of processes and
the migration of large amounts of data are for many companies
Mammoth tasks. Is there a blueprint to look out for?

BormacherEvery company has its own architecture that has grown over decades and often lacks an overview. That's why the corresponding solution must also be tailor-made. The market is currently in a phase of immense upheaval and is developing rapidly.

Therefore, statements about the future viability of certain systems and applications require a far-reaching insight into the development of the market and the objectives of the major players.

Interview with Dieter Bormacher, Managing Consultant at Devoteam S Team

So what should companies keep in mind as part of the digital transformation?

Bormacher: For planning, it is crucial to get an overview of the complete architecture and all assets. At the same time, one should think about what the exact goal is: Do you want to base the future architecture on S/4 Hana or on other ERP systems?

Which database solution should be pursued? Does a hybrid approach make sense, or does it make more sense to rely on cloud providers? It is important that companies do not jump headlong into the digital transformation because they are afraid of falling behind even faster otherwise.

It is essential to rely on a competent and reliable partner who offers comprehensive support in a time of many upheavals and innovations.

What are the advantages of such a partnership?

Bormacher: Companies such as Devoteam and the Devoteam S Team have excellent contacts with many players in the field of digital transformation, which can result in advantages for customers in terms of innovation capability and, where applicable, better conditions. In addition, we work closely with IT architects specialized in the desired area, which allows us to implement customized solutions.

We specialize not only in digital transformation, but also in migrating large volumes of data, and our wealth of experience means we always have the big picture in mind.

This also includes the management of hybrid system landscapes, the provision of temporary capacities or required employee training, for example, with regard to cybersecurity.

Devoteam's focus is on providing our customers with comprehensive and targeted support - from the first contact, through the as-is analysis of even complex system landscapes, for example, to assessments and successful project completion.