Three Tips to Achieving Data Agility
In order to achieve data agility, consider these three tips before migrating data applications to the cloud.
24 January, 2023
In order to achieve data agility, consider these three tips before migrating data applications to the cloud.
One of the primary factors to consider is how to collaborate across the enterprise to accelerate business drivers while maintaining secure and reliable data. Often this requires doing so in an organisation that lack flexibility in technology architecture and/or is dependent upon legacy systems.
Creating that flexibility is no easy feat. But building data agility into your cloud migration process will help. Data agility means being able to deliver real-time, actionable insights across your organisation securely. Consider these three tips for your next cloud migration project.
Know the silos and seek to shift mindsets.
Developing a flexible, agile architecture is easier said than done. It’s not just about the technology, it’s the people and the processes. It’s identifying the silos that do exist and it’s defining how that data plays into the bigger picture.
What are your business goals? How can data sharing from across business units inform decisions and contribute to business growth? How does that impact your people and processes? Ask the right questions and enrol the right people to lay the groundwork and connect data to your business goals. The siloed mindsets will begin to break down.
Leave legacy behind, but not without a plan.
It’s no secret that shedding legacy technology and moving from traditional databases to cloud-based applications helps organisations gain momentum. But, for a seamless transition to the cloud that realises true benefits, planning is essential.
Before beginning a migration, it’s important to start by examining your source data to avoid unexpected problems arising further into the project. Resolving issues with source data may require additional software tools and third-party resources because of the size, scale, and complexity of the work.
Over time, data becomes outdated and loses value, making it less reliable. So, ensuring that there are controls in place to maintain and protect data quality, is key to a successful cloud migration. Tracking and reporting on data quality is also important, as it enables a better understanding of the overall accuracy, completeness, and consistency of the data. The processes and tools used to produce this information should be easy to use and automated, where possible.
In parallel to a robust process for the migration activity, the plan should also include a process for bringing on the right software and tools for the project – including whether these are held in house or require support from a third-party vendor. Explore cloud and data services at TEKsystems.
Show the value in visibility.
In our research, we’ve found that siloed mindsets, navigating complexity and competing tech priorities continue to be near the top of the list of challenges for most organisations. To tackle competing tech priorities, it’s critical to have a bird’s eye view of data for leadership. You want to illustrate the business value of technology investments. But it’s not only about leadership’s view.
You need real-time visibility to adjust to market realities. For retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers, that means supply chain visibility. A modern cloud data platform, like the Snowflake Retail Data Cloud, allows organisations to quickly adapt to market changes.
Working toward data agility across an organisation can drive growth and ensure resiliency despite fluctuating market demands and customer behaviours. From mindsets and planning to value and visibility, we can guide you through and help develop that flexibility.