Adopting a database-driven environment for your organisation and upskilling staff to embrace it

In our previous post, we discussed the need to identify areas where more efficient systems and workflows can be introduced to firstly streamline and, as a result, improve business performance. It was also acknowledged that this meant reviewing staff roles, identifying skills gaps and introducing training to upskill employees. All these processes help shape an organisation’s data management strategy and allow for efficiency once operating in a database-driven environment. LightArc’s Ashley How has a strong preference for a strength-based approach and, with his own staff, employs Gallup’s Clifton Strengths Assessment which characterises individuals according to categories such as the: “strategic, maximise, arranger and learner.” What results is an “encouragement to think beyond the now and short term to the longer term and being more creative about technology and the way we bring our data together.” How then related this to the example of an organisation that was entering data up to 30 times for different areas of the business across different segments of the business, and ultimately this was a huge waste of resources. The solution relied on having staff in the business with varying strengths to implement change – a driver was needed to prompt the implementation, a learner needed to understand the system and how it worked and then a teacher who could take that knowledge and build capacity in the team who needed to use it. A software solution itself cannot be relied upon as the standalone answer. What’s needed is also having the right people in your organisation to embrace the technology and develop capability within the team to understand data and how it flows through an organisation. As How said, it’s essential that “the team actually build up their skills and capability as well as building up their thinking about what’s actually possible.” LightArc can provide your business with the technical expertise and training needed to implement a database-driven environment as well as offer consultation on data flow processes and how to better manage and utilise data within your organisation. To find out more about our services, we invite you to get in touch.