Is a crisis the right time to implement a new information management system?

Is your company data just a wall of numbers?The global economic crisis is forcing many established companies to restructure or reject previously successful business models. Hopefully this leads to stable, lean, and competitive businesses using effective and efficient processes. Positive changes will enable companies to compete in the global market.

CEOs and owners face the challenge of saving endangered businesses or salvaging bankrupt projects. Often the difference between a Lazarus like resurrection or creating a zombie company comes down to improving or replacing the things that made the company fail, while keeping the things that make it worth saving.

If knowledge is power, am I getting the most power possible from my IT system?

Restructuring is more likely to be successful when managers first understand the fundamental business/strategic problem or opportunity that their company faces. This will require a deep analysis and regular measurements of the companies information and data, however thousands of data points can soon become incompressible walls of numbers. You need help to turn your data into meaningful information and knowledge.

Ask yourself: “Do I embrace the power of a company wide IT system to help me see and understand what is really happening in my company, or do I see computers as merely digital typewriters?”

If you are part of a restructuring effort you need to know what options exist to support your project. How can it be said that a company is fully restructured and modernized if they are managing their data and information the same way they did in the 80’s?

In the comments section below please tell us what challenges you face to improving the way you manage data and information.

Noah J Revoy