“30 per cent tech, 70 per cent human”
Sofigate set out to achieve transformation by using the Business Technology Design method. It is a business-focused planning method for mapping out a company’s target state, outlining roles, capabilities and technologies, and crystalising a tangible vision for the future.
“During my career I have been involved in several business transformation projects, but this one had a totally different approach. First of all, the capability map that is created through Business Technology Design is an exceptionally useful tool. It shows in a clear and visual way the workings of the entire company, unit by unit. This makes it very easy for us business decision-makers to see all overlapping functions, roles, and processes,” Hentunen says.
“Secondly, the method involves all users in the transformation work. The traditional way would be to enlist an elite group of a select few to workshop with an external consultant. But with Business Technology Design, key stakeholders and operative teams get involved in the challenge of envisioning the ideal future for their company. This makes employees much more committed to the change and leads in a lasting transformation.”
Once the capabilities are mapped out and the desired vision is outlined comes the moment of choosing the right technology to support it. For Sofigate, this meant combining Salesforce and NetSuite to manage data across the organisation. Seamless data flow is essential for growth and to underpin a strong API strategy, Sofigate chose Jitterbit to be the integration glue that sticks their systems together.
“The fact is that transformation processes like this are only thirty per cent technology and seventy per cent human thinking. The right technologies can always be found, but the success of the transformation depends on the motivation of the people. Change management is essential: how to create the desire to change, how to enable the vision forward, and how to ensure people cope with the change,” says Hentunen.