Driving Innovation with Hybrid Integration Platforms: A Data-first Solution for Digital Transformation
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Imagine a fashion designer creating an outfit. They need to select fabrics, choose the right colors and cuts, and assemble it all in just the right way. It's a complex task requiring many different components - but when done correctly, you can create something truly beautiful.
The same concept applies to hybrid integration platforms (HIP). By combining multiple technologies into one cohesive whole, businesses can drive digital transformation and innovation at lightning speed.
HIPs are designed to integrate data from various sources across applications, databases, or services so that companies can gain actionable insights for better decision-making. Seeing as data silos are an increasingly troublesome aspect of running a data-driven company, having a system in place to handle them is vital.
With a strong HIP, your team can stitch together all the different parts of your business to create a cohesive whole.
Understanding Hybrid Integration Platforms
You can design the most beautiful sleeve in existence, but if it isn’t attached to the rest of a garment, chances are it will fall apart quickly.
The same is true of a business. It’s only effective if all the pieces are connected and working together. That’s where HIP comes in.
A hybrid integration platform is a centralized control center with quick data sharing. This eliminates mistakes due to siloed information and ensures every system within an organization is working in tandem.
The perfect HIP should be able to
Manage Application Programming Interfaces throughout their lifecycle.
Integrate data from multiple applications.
Exchange data between cloud-based and on-premise applications.
Transfer data at high speeds.
Keep your data secure.
Facilitate data governance.
Utilize AI to track relationships and flag any issues.
With all your information in one place, working together, your company will be able to jump-start its digital transformation.
Why You Need HIP
To fully create a data-driven culture, allowing all departments within your company to innovate and expand, you need to have information in one place, easy to access and understand.
This allows for innovations like referral programs governed by digital agencies, machine learning initiatives, and IoT technologies to be pursued without the core IT department getting involved. High-intensity projects can be completed, faster, cheaper, and with less risk, because the system will be able to handle and interpret high volumes of data at once.
A HIP will be able to cut down on the time and effort it takes to do repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on innovation and expanding the number of services and products they can offer.
Challenges of HIP
When looking to implement a hybrid integration platform for your business, you may come up against some challenges. The complexity of the integration process opens the door to the risk of error.
Data Accuracy
A HIP is only as good as the data it’s given. Without it, the platform won't be able to deliver the desired results and will fail to meet expectations.
That's why it is essential to constantly monitor your system and make sure that all data inputted into it is up-to-date and correct. Without accurate data, the platform will be unable to deliver accurate results.
Data Security
With a large platform comes a large set of security concerns, which must be taken into account when creating and managing a HIP.
To ensure everyone's safety, consider authentication methods, access control measures, and encrypting data. Plus, do regular check-ups to make sure there are no vulnerabilities or breaches in the system.
With these measures in place, you can have confidence knowing that user information is secure when accessing your HIP.
Compatibility
HIPs are built on top of existing systems, meaning that there may be compatibility issues.
Make sure you go into the process with a full understanding of everything you use already. This way, you can be sure that the HIP to land on is compatible with all the other systems it will need to interact with for it to function properly.
Digital Transformation and Innovation with HIP
A hybrid integration platform is an essential tool for any business that wants to take advantage of digital transformation and the innovation economy.
By using HIPs, organizations can quickly connect disparate systems to drive innovation and improve processes. With the right platform, businesses have access to real-time data, which allows them to make better decisions faster than ever before.
Having access to data at all times in one easy place allows every person within a company to get involved with innovation.
Data-first collaboration tools like Stormboard have powerful bi-directional integrations that keep everything up-to-date and accurate while making the information easy for anyone on your team to understand and interact with.
How To Set Up A Hybrid Integration Platform
After a designer has cut out all the pieces for a dress or suit, it can be hard to know where to start the sewing. Sewing your company's data together is the same.
However, if you know what the end goal is, you'll be able to sift through the data and determine what needs to be integrated.
Step One: Know Your Goals
Getting all the stakeholders involved in your planning process ensures you have a full perspective on what is needed. You’ll want a clear picture of what data sources need to be integrated.
Depending on your field, this could include
ERP
CRM
eCommerce Systems
Social Media
Websites
When you’re on the hunt for a HIP, you’ll be able to find one that works best for all of them.
Step Two: Understand The Architecture
Take the time to outline how every component fits together at the moment. Figure out what you’ll need to integrate to make everything run smoothly. Plan out not just the technical aspects of the platform, but also how it fits in with your current business processes and operations.
Again, having a way for all the stakeholders to chime in on this will make sure you don’t miss anything. Stormboard takes any ideas brought up in these sessions and turns them into data that can be tracked and accounted for.
Step Three: Implementation
Once the architecture has been established, it's time to start implementing the integration platform. This involves selecting a HIP provider, designing and building your custom connectors, and configuring the data mappings that will allow for smooth communication between systems.
Make sure your team has a full understanding of how the process will change and what it means for their specific jobs. One of the biggest barriers to digital transformation is a lack of understanding and technical skills.
Step Four: Testing
Before fully implementing your system, make sure you test it to see if everything is going according to plan. This includes running through scenarios that simulate different types of real-life usage of the system.
Don’t focus too much on hypotheticals during this stage. You know what your system needs to do; choose use cases from your history to make sure it operates within your actual scope.
This is a great time to go back to your initial planning and goals to see if you’ve met them all. Once all tests are passed, you can begin using your new HIP in production mode.
HIP Best Practices
As you work to set up a hybrid integration platform, there are some things to keep in mind. These tips will help make the shift as smooth as possible.
Tip One: Focus on Connectors
For a HIP to streamline your processes, it needs to connect to everything you’re already using.
When you pick a platform to work with, try to find one with pre-built connectors. This will speed up the process of implementing it and ensure it’s compatible with your team.
Tip Two: Stay Governed
As with any digital transformation, it’s important to have a well-defined governance strategy in place that outlines how data should be handled, who has access to it, and when it needs to be updated or deleted.
By doing so, you will ensure your business is compliant with any relevant regulations or laws regarding data privacy.
Tip Three: Optimize Your Processes
HIPs are designed to improve your processes. As you implement it, look for ways to optimize them further.
This can include automating certain tasks or creating more efficient workflows between teams and departments.
Tip Four: Keep It Simple
A big goal in implementing a HIP is to allow your entire team to access and understand the mass amounts of data coming in.
If the system is too complex or difficult to understand, it will continue to be used only by those on your IT team.
Tip Five: Monitor & Measure Results
Once you have a HIP in place, monitor and measure the results of its implementation. Look at what’s working, what areas need improvement, and how well it’s helping your organization become more agile and efficient.
This helps you identify any bottlenecks and keep everything running as smoothly as possible.
The Bottom Line
With a fully integrated HIP, your company will have the versatility and resiliency of a well-made and meticulously designed garment.
You’ll be set up for data-driven, agile decision-making, new opportunities, and constant innovation. With every loose end sewn and snipped, your team will be set up for limitless success.
Stormboard can be leveraged to reduce meetings, improve outcomes, track projects, and act as a central database for the storage and evolution of all your best ideas and concepts.
If your business is just starting to experiment with Digital Transformation, get in touch with one of our experts today to learn more about how we can connect your tools and workforce under one easy-to-use platform to kickstart a new wave of efficiency.
About the author:
A programmer by trade, Nick Saraev is a freelance writer and entrepreneur with a penchant for helping people excel in their careers. He's been featured on Popular Mechanics & Apple News, and has founded several successful companies in e-commerce, marketing, and artificial intelligence. When he's not working on his latest project, you can find him hiking or painting.
