North Highland Insights
The following report draws on the results of a North Highland-sponsored survey conducted in September 2018.
North Highland Beacon
To analyze organizational attitudes and determine the most critical strategic priorities for 2019, we surveyed more than 700 senior leaders in seven industries at organizations with 2017 revenues > $1 billion and that are headquartered in the U.S. or U.K.
The industries surveyed:
- Consumer Packaged Goods
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Healthcare – Payor
- Life Sciences
- Media, Entertainment, and Communications
- Retail
Key Takeaways
- The problem: Organizations need an approach to systems integration that allows them to unlock the potential for continuous transformation. With constant change being the new normal, large organizations and governmental agencies are recognizing a need to change how they identify, analyze, design, and implement complex IT solutions amid large-scale transformation efforts.
- The analysis: There’s increasing awareness that the current systems integration model is flawed. We are calling for a redefinition of the Systems Integrator (SI) model which takes the traditional SI beyond the IT function to also focus on adoption and ways of working. It is a new model where the outcomes, strategy, and vision for the new system are separate from that of the old.
- The solution: The use of a redefined SI model to industrialize and manage transformative outcome achievements complements and moves beyond systems implementation. A dedicated SI vision should be based on the following critical considerations and bolstered by outcome-based service management and organizational change management:
- Develop an achievable strategy and supporting strategic plan.
- Identify, implement, and manage a decision-making capability aligned to the strategy.
- Plan, implement, and optimize a portfolio to execute the strategy and manage resources—all governed through the decision-making capability.
Businesses are now fully immersed in a climate of continuous transformation, one fueled by industry-crossing disruption and a generally optimistic outlook for financial performance.1 Leaders who view the world through a future lens recognize that the current growth approach isn’t only about revenue generation— it is also about uncovering new efficiencies, enabling people to drive success, and continuously evolving to prepare for the decade ahead.
To succeed in such an environment, organizations need an approach to systems integration that allows them to adapt with the pace of change. With constant change being the new status quo, large organizations and governmental agencies are recognizing a need to change how they identify, analyze, design, and implement complex IT solutions amid large-scale transformation efforts.