Data plays a crucial role in decision-making, innovation, and success. Post-pandemic, 67% of organizations have heightened their digital awareness. Yet, many face challenges in fully leveraging their data due to the gap between IT and business teams, which hampers collaboration and potential. Businesses are heavily investing in data initiatives. Countries like the UAE are building infrastructure and skills for data analytics in the Middle East, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain are launching open data portals. Despite these efforts, international benchmarks such as the Global Data Barometer indicate the region is still in the early stages of open data initiatives. Saudi Arabia leads with a score of 29%, followed by the UAE at 27%, Qatar and Bahrain at 22% each, and Oman with the lowest score at 14%.
The Great Divide: IT sector versus Business TeamsA study by Harvard Business Review highlights that disconnected systems can lead to inefficiencies. Teams can spend up to 60% of their time on activities like extracting and entering data across multiple systems. The disconnect between IT and business teams often stems from their individual departments. IT teams focus on technology, while business teams prioritise operational goals. This separation leads to inefficiencies, redundancies, and missed opportunities. Business teams may need timely access to data, while IT teams might need insight into business priorities, leading to misaligned efforts.
The consequences of the IT-business divide are severe, both in terms of security and operational efficiency. Fragmented data systems lead to subpar data quality, increased risk exposure, and sluggish responsiveness. Siloed operations make maintaining consistency and integrity across data challenging, leaving organisations susceptible to breaches and cyber-attacks. Moreover, inadequate communication between teams delays the detection and response to security threats, amplifying the risk of exploitation.
To overcome this, IT and business leaders must align their goals and foster effective communication. A unified, cross-organisational approach to data initiatives is essential for true digital transformation. IT and business teams ought to have a new partnership approach—one that emphasises communication, alignment, and shared accountability for achieving organisational goals.
Adopting a centralised data architecture that supports hybrid data and cloud systems can simplify the data landscape, reduce redundancies, and streamline processes. This not only eases the burden on IT teams but also provides business teams more accessibility to the data they need. For instance, Bouygues Telecom consolidated its data ecosystem onto a modernised platform, enabling faster data processing and significant operational efficiency. By centralising data, organisations can enhance customer experiences, improve financial control, and quickly detect data.
Adopting new technology isn't a magic bullet for alignment. Proper alignment requires a culture of open communication and clear channels that align the strategic objectives of both IT and business teams. Tools like reoccurring priority alignment meetings, shared internal communication platforms, and joint planning sessions can facilitate these interactions. This approach ensures that both teams work together towards digital transformation and fosters a culture of collaboration.
Data management and analytics shouldn't be the exclusive domain of IT. Effective data-driven decision-making requires active collaboration from both IT and business leaders. While IT handles the technical aspects of data infrastructure, business leaders need to define data requirements and drive strategic initiatives based on insights.
Recognising data as a shared responsibility is critical. Collaboration between IT and business teams can be enhanced through employee training in data management systems and using low-code, no-code tools. These tools increase data visibility and accessibility, enabling informed decision-making.
Achieving alignment is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. As business needs and technological capabilities evolve, continuous communication, collaboration, and adaptation are necessary. Regularly reassessing priorities, realigning strategies, and addressing emerging challenges can sustain effective collaboration and drive innovation in a rapidly changing environment.
Aligning IT and business teams around shared objectives is crucial for harnessing the power of data. This involves understanding each team's priorities and recognising their interdependence. Despite their different focuses, both teams ultimately work towards the same overarching goal: organisational success. Organisations can bridge the divide between IT and business teams by fostering a sense of shared purpose. This unified approach can drive innovation, enhance competitiveness, and unlock the full potential of data.
A cross-organisational approach to data initiatives is crucial for success in today's landscape. By consolidating data ecosystems, fostering collaboration, and unifying efforts, organisations can harness the transformative power of data. This collaboration enables IT and business visionaries to align on goals, driving innovation and securing a competitive edge. It's not just about safeguarding assets; it's about propelling enterprises toward lasting success in a highly competitive landscape.
By breaking down silos and embracing a unified approach to security, organisations can mitigate risks, drive innovation, and secure their position in the digital marketplace. The time to bridge the IT-business gap is now — let's unite forces for a safer, more prosperous future.— Ahmad Shakora, Group VP of Emerging Markets – Middle East and Turkey, at Cloudera.
