Gathering reliable data can help companies monitor their processes closely, identify the most and least efficient components of their processes, and provide new data driven solutions for improvement, Professor Dr Sarat Chandra Dass, School of Mathematical and Computer Science, of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, tells Business Today.
“Fundamentally, a digital transformation is dependent on technology. Together with analytics, data is used with that technology to derive intelligence and insights for improving company processes,” he says.
He explains that data-based processes can be categorised into five (5) main components: Data collection, wrangling, modelling and analysis, drawing insights, and finally reporting.
It is important that in data upskilling efforts, employees must be trained in all aspects of the data-based processes to become an effective data analyst or a data scientist.
“These data-based processes require a wide range of expertise; for example, data wrangling requires proficiency in coding languages such as R and Python whereas modelling and analysis also requires expertise in statistical theory and practice.
“These skills can be transferred to employees by adequate training by experts in the respective areas. Focused training and workshops can be carried out depending on company niche and the type of data that the company usually deals with.
Professor Dr Sarat recommends some best practices for a digital transformation exercise. He advises to start by performing a readiness or risk assessment of digital transformation through the IR4.0 framework.
He adds that businesses can then start investing in new technologies to facilitate the digital transformation. Next, proceed to identify key areas of upskilling and reskilling of employees in the identified technologies to address company-specific issues.
“Adopt IR4.0 tools such as data science and AI, for instance, for monitoring and improvement of company processes, and identify key trainers that can disseminate the relevant knowledge and skills to employees to jump-start the digital transformation,” he adds.
He advises that if companies can also initiate case studies and pilot projects with the new skills gathered to gauge company-wide impact of the transformation, this will further scale the company and communicate the required data needed for crucial decision making towards sustainability.
