FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Data Corporation (IDC) today published a series of four reports that examine the selection, implementation, and post implementation processes and the business impact and benefits associated with the move to SaaS and cloud-enabled software. The reports offer best practices and practical advice from business executives and IT buyers that have already experienced the transition to SaaS and cloud-based solutions.
Organizations of all sizes are embarking on digital transformation (DX) journeys, changing their operating models and even their business models in the process. To succeed, these organizations need to rethink their technology strategy and build a solid digital core. This has led to the embrace of cloud computing and software as a service (SaaS) because organizations need flexible, agile software systems that are configurable, continuously updated, quick to implement, available anywhere and anytime, and highly scalable. Part of the beauty of SaaS and cloud-enabled software is that relatively heavy configurations can be made and software extensions (custom apps) can be added without the core product being affected. The result is software that is always current with a steady flow of new features and functionality that allows for faster innovation.
"While the technical benefits of moving to SaaS and cloud-enabled software are pretty clear, the business case requires a broader perspective," said Mickey North Rizza, program vice president, Enterprise Applications and Digital Commerce at IDC. "To realize the full value of a cloud migration, business leaders need to think beyond the applications they support and look at the effect on the entire organization. Ideally, the migration will be part of an enterprise-wide digital transformation initiative that aims to bring the organization into the digital economy. It should also drive better and wider technology use across the organization, creating the conditions for continuous innovation and enhanced business outcomes."
Each of the reports in the series focuses on a particular aspect of the SaaS and cloud migration process, offering insights and advice gleaned from interviews with organizations that have already made the transition:
The DX World: SaaS and Cloud-enabled Technology Selection Best Practices (IDC #US43757518). IDC's field research found that the selection process was one of the most critical aspects of moving to SaaS and cloud-enabled software. Organizations that experienced disappointments often traced this back to errors made when they were selecting their technology platform and their implementation partner. This report offers best practices and recommendations to ensure a successful SaaS and cloud-enabled selection process.
The DX World: SaaS and Cloud-enabled Technology Implementation Best Practices (IDC #US43758318). How well a software package is implemented has always been a critical determinant of how much value the software delivers for the organization that buys it and uses it. This report addresses best practices and advice for the technical issues and the people and business issues associated with a successful SaaS and cloud implementation.
The DX World: SaaS and Cloud-enabled Technology Post Go-Live Best Practices (IDC #US43759518). Change doesn't end when the implementation process is completed – the cloud journey continues after the organization is on the cloud. For SaaS and cloud software users, it's important to maintain a proactive and business-oriented approach to "life on the cloud." This report provides best practices and advice that enable organizations to get the most from their SaaS and cloud-enabled software after the initial implementation is complete.
The DX World: SaaS and Cloud-enabled Technology Implementation Brings Business Impact (IDC #US43759218). The transition to SaaS and cloud-enabled software should enable the business to better manage itself from front office to back office, across the globe, and make the business stronger because of the technology choice. However, businesses will need to be prepared for the impact that this transition will have on their operation. This report discusses some of the business impacts uncovered in IDC's field research and offers recommendations to help organizations to get optimum value from their investment.
"Cloud software doesn't just sit quietly in the corner, running itself," said Douglas Hayward, associate vice president, European IT and Cloud Infrastructure Services. "End users need to look proactively at the content of the regular updates/upgrades they receive to make sure they don't miss out on potentially value-adding new functionality. And they need to be aware that cloud software brings with it both technology change, such as testing and configuration, and business change, such as workflow and process change."
This IDC report series is based on more than 60 interviews with organizations that have implemented leading SaaS and cloud-enabled technology offerings. The interviews included line-of-business executives and IT buyers within these organizations as well as providers of the SaaS and cloud-enabled solutions and providers of SaaS implementation services. The results offer a 360-degree view of the selection, implementation, and post go-live processes based on real-world, on-the-ground experiences. The interviews also uncovered a range of business impacts and benefits for businesses utilizing SaaS cloud-enabled technology.
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