The successful companies of the next decade will be the ones that use digital tools to reinvent the way they work. These companies will make decisions quickly, act efficiently, and directly touch their customers in positive ways. I hope you’ll come away excited by the possibilities of positive change in the next ten years. Going digital will put you on the leading edge of a shock wave of change that will shatter the old way of doing business. A digital nervous system will let you do business at the speed of thought—the key to success in the twenty-first century.
Digital infrastructure of connected networks and information flow
Bill Gates, the pioneer and founder of Microsoft, gave the concept of the “Digital Nervous System” as the 21st century was about to begin. The idea has maintained its relevancy over time and improved upon. A digital nervous system is now a critical component for every organization undergoing digital transformation.
The digital nervous system focuses on the interconnection of technology, processes, and information across the enterprise. It helps them adapt to the dynamic business environment. Like the biological nervous system has reflexes and responds to external circumstances, the digital nervous system enables enterprises to respond smoothly and efficiently to the changing business ecosystem.
Digital transformation is supported by a robust infrastructure based on information flow. The right information must flow to the right part of the organization when the requirement arises. Enterprises can leverage the digital infrastructure (a combination of hardware and software) to assets customer needs, competitor challenges, and respond quickly.
Traditional economies are moving towards becoming knowledge economies. The age of information now drives knowledge workers to draw insights and make collaboration smoother. Information flow is critical as companies need to assess their operations at every touchpoint. The information must be available when and where it is required.
With a digital nervous system, organizations transition into digital enterprises. It enables them to -
Improve collaboration with unified tools
Find patterns in sales data through real-time analysis
Manage resources and monitor their whereabouts
Create cross-departmental teams with digital tools
Convert paper-based filing into digital form
Track customer complaints through different departments
Develop a digital feedback loop for quality improvement
Automating activities to focus on decision-making