By Anurag Sinha, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Wissen Technology
It’s the year 2022, and digital transformation is no longer about adopting the latest technologies; it’s about doing so with a cloud-first mindset. With cloud computing offering unmatched benefits to organizations of all types, sizes, and forms, the key to success is building strategies, implementing technologies, and maintaining and monitoring them – with cloud at their very foundation.
But what does it mean to enable a cloud-first transformation? And what factors should you keep in mind while doing so? Read on to unravel!
What cloud-first transformation is (and isn’t)
With so much hullabaloo about cloud and the role it plays in digital transformation, every organization today is at various degrees of cloud maturity – while some are operating entirely on the cloud, there are others that have migrated important systems and workflows, and many others who are still weighing pros and cons of cloud adoption.
Irrespective of which stage of cloud maturity it is in, it is essential to note that any transformation you dream of is impossible without cloud – which brings us to the much-hyped cloud-first transformation decision. But what is a cloud-first transformation? And what is it not?
It isn’t just about implementing cloud solutions; it’s about embracing a culture change
Many organizations assume cloud-first transformation to just be about building cloud-native apps or implementing a handful of cloud-based solutions. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. True transformation comes when you adopt a culture of cloud and embrace a cloud-first mindset in everything you do. It’s about implementing cloud-friendly processes, retuning or refactoring existing applications, so they deliver additional benefits in the cloud, and also reskilling employees, so they can get the best results from cloud-first transformation.
It isn’t a one-time project; it is continuous innovation
In today’s cloud-obsessed era, almost every app or workload stands to benefit from the availability, scalability, and security of the cloud. But that doesn’t mean you can just migrate them to the cloud and forget about it! Transformation should never be looked at as a one-time project, but as a continuous process of innovation. You should assess each and every app or workload to gauge its viability for the cloud. Once you migrate, you should also keep monitoring them to see how best you can further improve their performance.
It isn’t about integrating cloud as an after-thought; it is about establishing a cloud foundation
Achieving cloud-first transformation might compel you to modernize your existing systems or embrace new solutions, and then think about migrating them to the cloud. But such an approach won’t take you far. Instead, what you need to do is this: every time you review an existing process or tool, you must assess if they deliver more benefits if they were refactored for the cloud and make decisions accordingly. You also need to enable cloud-based application development to truly achieve the benefits of flexibility, scalability, and innovation.
Factors to keep in mind
Any transformation requires substantial planning, guidance, and support from your leaders, employees, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders. Since no transformation can happen overnight, here are some things to keep in mind as you embark on the cloud-first transformation journey:
1. Curate a detailed cloud roadmap: The first step towards successful cloud-first transformation is curating a detailed roadmap that clearly outlines tasks and milestones. Having a roadmap that you can constantly refer to can help you in ensuring your efforts stick to the budget and timeline, while also allowing you to prioritize activities that are needed for quick and efficient transformation.
2. Get necessary support and approvals: Being a cloud-first company or having a cloud-first mindset can, no doubt, open doors to a world of opportunities. But the sustained success of your efforts is only possible when you get the necessary support (and approvals) from your C-suite. Educating them about the need for cloud-first transformation can help in having the necessary budgets and infrastructure in place. It can also aid in ensuring the project goes as planned and any issues or roadblocks are overcome with leadership oversight.
3. Educate and train your employees: Aligning your staff with your transformation goals is also critical. Having them on your side requires you to thoroughly educate them about the need and benefits of the cloud-first transformation while also training them, so they can make the most of exciting new technologies. Understanding what skills your employees currently possess, and upskilling or reskilling them accordingly can help avoid the skill gap required to achieve your transformation objectives.
4. Engage with a partner: Achieving success with cloud-first transformation is highly unlikely unless you engage with a qualified and competent partner. A partner can bring years of experience and expertise in implementing cloud-based solutions and apps, while constantly providing tips and guidance to help you make the most of the technology.
5. Measure and monitor your progress: Evaluating every step as you progress on your cloud-first transformation is also extremely critical if you want to achieve success with your efforts. Measuring and monitoring your activities, evaluating the performance and functionality of your apps and workflows, and assessing the mindset of your employees can help you come up with the right plan to better your results.
In today’s digital business landscape, Cloud is no longer just a nice-to-have technology. It is quickly becoming the fuel that powers modern businesses. This has caused a sudden and widespread interest in cloud-first transformation, with many looking to drive effective transformation with a cloud-first mindset.
To ensure success with your transformation efforts and witness a quantum leap in business growth, it is important to build a cloud culture across your organization, look at Cloud as a means for continuous innovation, and establish a strong foundation of Cloud.
