Key #4. Build a digital organization culture focused on collaboration across Operations and IT.

Collaborative partnership with IT always pays dividends through improved solution delivery and in turn, operational performance.  Discussing successes and challenges in the day to day operation, while articulating the drivers behind the opportunities and constraints will ensure that IT investment roadmaps are aligned to business strategy (as discussed earlier), operational improvement, and IT lifecycle considerations. 

While considering the importance of these exercises, it is also critical to consider the importance of a sustainable, well-supported program to ensure that these incremental improvements will be continuously leveraged.  IT platforms age quickly, application expertise ages even moreso.  The transition to an operating culture based on nurturing aging assets offers to not only deliver more value back to the operation, it will leave you better positioned to leapfrog the limitations in the next material endeavor in the space. 

Responsibility for maintaining this focus lies across Operations and IT.  Scoping appropriate support environments will ensure that this attention is maintained, and the coverage models will deliver iterative value throughout the program lifecycle.   The focus is sure to reap benefits for both organizations by delivering increased value and reduced disruption. 

Outside of funded projects, it is a worthy endeavor to work with application vendors and services / support partners on health checks and visioning sessions to discuss what’s happening in the marketplace as other companies are investing perhaps where you are not and realizing value that could be leveraged in your operation.    Extend the cultural focus and energies beyond your organization and leverage that of your extended ecosystem.