| | JULY 202319CIOReviewhow you order supplies, manage stock, etc. It's all processes, and life and business are a series of processes.The challenge is to create processes that give you the output you want with as little input as possible,i.e.the most efficient and effective processes. Processes can be either manual or automated. "Manual" means a human must do it, and "automated" means a machine (systems) does it. The idea of machines doing what we once did can be disconcerting; however, the ultimate goal should not be to replace people but to assist them. People working side by side with technology will yield greater results than people working on their own. Consider the country of Namibia... We have one of the most sparsely distributed populations in the world. This is great because it means we have space, but it is also a major disadvantage when that space results in a big divide between those who have access to education or opportunities and those who do not. This is where technology can uplift an entire economy if used wisely to ensure that the space between our people is not a hindrance to ensuring equal opportunity for all.D + PThe two common mistakes businesses make on a digital transformation journey are 1) Investing in Data without investing in the means to action that data or 2) Investing in processes without investing in the data to inform those processes. The first mistake will often lead to an inability to monetise the data investment, and the second mistake wastes resources by doing the wrong things. Data should tell you what the right thing to do is.The Future (F) will belong to those who are able to properly combine Data (D) and Processes (P) which creates Value (V). This is essentially what digital transformation is all about. Every new technology is simply a means to optimally collect, utilise, or action (or "process") data. When considering any new decision, product, customer, market, or change, you must address the whole value chain, i.e.from, the beginning (Data) to the end (Process). We must move past the basics of data and process to meticulously combine the best data models with the best processes. The formula's two elements (D and P) are inextricably linked. Data without process is useless, and process without data is guesswork. There you have it; my formula to describe those who will succeed and thrive in the future is F = D + P= V.ValueAs a person, you have the choice to act based on information, instinct, or compulsion. The more information you have as a business, the more you should build your processes around actioning that information. Your processes should be agile. You can gain new data insights all the time, and stock prices and exchange rates are just some things that change daily and even minute-by-minute. Your processes should be geared towards quickly actioning any data insights you gain to capitalise on emerging opportunities. In every situation, start with data and end with processes. This is where the exponential value lies. F = D + P= V. To understand how to use technology optimally, you must predict what you will need to win
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