CONSULT BEFORE YOU COMMIT
There was a time when tech companies relied on consultants as much for their industry knowledge as their functional capabilities, but today, industry expertise is taken as table stakes.
Accelerating speed to market and supporting innovation are the overriding imperatives. This is where consultants come in. They are well positioned to extend their expertise and help drive change. Their external cross-industry perspective, independence and broad experience developing and deploying leading-edge technologies, such as AI and 5G is a big asset.
Tech companies need help to succeed in a digitally transforming world, where social responsibility is as important as shareholder value. Consultants can help pressure-test growth and cost-saving strategies, help with execution and ensure that your tech investments has the right ROI — in terms of both financial and green targets.
The need is critical
Emerging technologies and changing business models are driving a shift in the role of IT — from leveraging technology in support of the business, to the higher, more strategic goal of securing and enhancing business value.
Today, it is critical that you have strong IT processes and practises in place to ensure the alignment of IT and business strategy and to drive excellence through the IT infrastructure and the operations it supports.
Investing in effective IT consulting services before you begin your IT journey, will help make sure that you are able to meet business challenges head on. IT demands will keep changing, but the end goal is always the same: forming an IT policy to meet business objectives.
IT consulting services
Technology consulting, relates to services aimed at helping you utilise information technology (IT) and digital and optimally achieve your business goals – this involves advisory and implementation services, but excludes transactional IT activities.
IT consulting services companies primarily offer eight main disciplines: IT Strategy, IT Architecture, IT Implementation, ERP services, Systems Integration, Data Analytics, IT Security and Software Management.
IT consulting strategy
IT strategy focuses on strategic propositions and IT advisory. Such a consultancy last between six weeks to six months depending on the complexity. For instance, setting up a business case for an ERP system or designing a cybersecurity vision – these are engagements that set the stage for further IT work.
Then you have IT architecture which looks at the IT processes and systems, and defines the technological blueprint that will enable processes that improve your business operations.
These projects typically last between six to 12 months and architecture services precede any IT implementation or systems integration efforts.
Consulting covers defining an enterprise landscape, implementing a service-oriented architecture (SOA), or guiding the outsourcing of architecture processes to an external vendor.
Consultancy in brief
ERP
ERP consulting services are activities that support designing, implementing and maintaining systems and modules. Key propositions include ERP package selections, business process redesigns based on a proven ERP template, and implementation.
System Integration
The systems integration consultancy domain looks at how different computing systems and software applications can link together in order to ensure systems acts as a coordinated whole. It often involves ensuring ERP systems/modules can interact with other, more tailored applications that run in the IT landscape.
Security
IT security focuses on risk, security and compliance responsibilities in the IT landscape, while the IT implementation line of business encompasses all services related to the design and implementation of technology-driven projects.
Software management
Software management refers to the practice that involves managing and optimising the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilisation, and disposal of software applications within your enterprise.
Data analytics
Finally, data analytics centres around techniques and tools that can turn large amounts of data into valuable information in order to support your decision making processes. Typical propositions in this segment are business intelligence, workforce analytics, customer intelligence, data warehousing (big data) and predictive modelling.
As IT is a critical enabler of business and digital goals, consulting firms have over the past decade both broadened and deepened their technological capabilities. Analysts typically distinguish between three types of IT consulting firms: the large global players that specialise in information technology; the generalist firms that have a separate IT consulting unit; and the niche IT players – players that either focus on a specific discipline or market.
EnSoft is a global IT consulting partner with a singular aim of helping CIOs and IT leaders design and implement advanced solutions in IT governance, security, data management, applications and compliance. EnSoft works to help you deploy advanced and customised application and data management structures that not only solve problems, but add value to your organisation. While technology will drive your future, with EnSoft by your side, you will be confident of going where you want to go.