Even before the internet was invented, businesses have had security operations centers (SOCs) to monitor, manage and secure the enterprise. This was because protecting data, applications, and the network were all seen as integral to the success of the business. Today, no serious enterprise would ignore the importance of its network operations.
Yet when it comes to an even more valuable resource – employees – it’s only recently that businesses have started to assess and improve the quality of the digital employee experience (DEX) and its subsequent impact on productivity. One way some organizations are tackling the problem is the creation of DEX Operations Centres (DOC), i.e. a function designed to maximize the digital experience for all employees by removing blockers, reducing stress, and enabling better focus.
However, building a new function can be a tricky business if it isn’t planned right. Happily, creating a DOC doesn’t need to be a convoluted or onerous process. Having worked with multiple organizations, I can testify that, with the right approach and executive support, it’s possible to launch a small, but fully functional one after only a few key steps.
VP of Professional Services at Nexthink.
Avoiding the big mistake
Launching any new tech-related initiative can be daunting. Every business has its own set of horror stories about projects going sideways or costly implementations that got botched.
One of the most common reasons for this is that, too often, businesses start by purchasing expensive technology and then trying to retrofit a structure and rationale to justify it afterwards. This is precisely the wrong approach, especially when building a DOC. Technological solutions and tools need to be the final piece of the puzzle, after the organization has developed a full understanding of the purpose, scope, and structure of the proposed DOC.
Four workshops
While there is no one ‘right’ way to build a DOC, having been involved in multiple such initiatives, there are four key elements that should be addressed. Fortunately, while these are vital steps, they do not have to be particularly drawn out. If all relevant stakeholders are available and engaged, a DOC can be created with four targeted workshops:
1. The mission: The first workshop is the most high-level, but also the most important: the mission of the DOC must be clearly defined. Once there is a clear definition of the mission and vision of the DOC that covers why it’s necessary and what it aims to bring to the business, a whole host of subsequent decisions become easier. Moreover, this helps position the DOC within the organization, clarifying which teams it will be working with, and what the reporting structure could be. As an example, a business might launch a DOC with the vision to provide the best possible digital experience for all employees.
2. The service catalogue: After defining the vision, the mission and the positioning of the center in the organization, the next workshop should focus on what services the Centre will be providing. DEX encompasses a vast range of potential services and use cases, so it’s essential to start with a small number and doing those efficiently, rather than immediately trying to take on two dozen different problems from jump. In our example above, initial services might be around hardware and software optimization to improve the performance of devices and thereby the digital experience.
3. The use cases: In the same way that the service catalogue is aligned with the mission, so the specific use cases, standard operating procedures, and deliverables need to be aligned with the services catalogue. Continuing our example, the use cases for our hypothetical DOC could be around supporting the reduction of proactive tickets, extending the lifetime of devices, or identifying and repurposing unused hardware rather than buying new.
4. The team: Once all of the above is in place, the final workshop can assess what sort of team and operational model is needed in order to most effectively carry out the plan. For some organizations, the DOC will be an evolution of the support team that sits alongside traditional IT support, while others may merge the two into a larger team. There is no right or wrong answer to how to create a DOC – some organisations have a fully allocated team, others only partly allocated. Some have their DOC as an internal function, others outsource it. Some have a dedicated team; others draw upon a cross-functional set of skills. The important thing is that, with the services and use cases mapped out already, it’s far more straightforward to identify the requisite expertise and input to make the Centre a success.
Only after all of these decisions have been made should organizations start thinking about what technology is needed, otherwise they can find they are spending significant sums on new solutions without getting any worthwhile ROI.
An evolving practice
While every business should follow the four steps above in creating their DOC, that doesn’t mean they should feel constrained in terms of what it looks like. There is no minimum size, set of services, or standard structure that has to be followed. Many Centres have been launched with only two people and a handful of use cases. Indeed, it can be better to scale back ambitions for the initial launch and make sure that things are running smoothly before increasing investment.
However it’s constituted, once the Centre has a couple of successes under its belt, it’s far easier to showcase the value of DexOps as a concept and to get additional buy-in from stakeholders across the enterprise. And, because a well-constructed DOC is agile and responsive to the needs of the business, it will mature alongside the enterprise, adding and discarding services as needed to best facilitate the core mission. Regardless, as long as organizations take the time to map out a proper mission, vision, and operational structure, any DOC will consistently add value across all areas of the employee experience.
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