EDITOR ’ S COMMENT
HOW CAN BUSINESSES REMAIN FLEXIBLE DURING THE PANDEMIC ?
LORNA HARDIE , REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT VMWARE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic gave impetus to the rapid deployment of digital solutions to enable remote working , many organisations are struggling with the lack of face-to-face engagement . This highlights how it is not simply a matter of giving employees Internet access and cloud-based solutions to remain productive , but about reinventing how Digital Transformation is done .
And this is where the customer experience becomes central to the new normal . Of course , it is not only about meeting external customer expectations , but also internal ones . And by this , the focus is on how employees experience their workplace , whether this is a completely remote one or a hybrid where some time is spent at the office . The growth in global
It is not only about meeting external customer expectations , but also internal ones . smartphone adoption has resulted in significant opportunities for applications to revitalise business operations . Research estimates that the worldwide market for mobile apps will grow almost 21 % annually from 2020 to 2024 .
App explosion
As can be expected , there has been an explosion in demand and usage of apps around video chat and online conferencing , online shopping , healthcare and media and entertainment . People are looking for more innovative ways of managing their lives during and post-lockdown . Modern apps that enable them to do so will be key to unlocking the potential of a new wave of Digital Transformation efforts .
In the early days of lockdown , the use of business apps saw unprecedented growth in countries like China , South Korea , Japan and the US . As the lockdown conditions spread and lengthened , other countries became increasingly dependent on these apps to remain operational from an organisational perspective .
But in addition to delivering a more integrated user experience between the employee and the employer , and the customer and the business , modern apps require consistency across every channel . Whether this is on the Web , mobile phones and tablets or even a desktop , people need to know that they can get the same things done irrespective of the device they use . This requires a fresh take on the processes behind a business app and optimising them in a way that makes for a new operating environment .
Design thinking
This is where a design thinking approach for an app enables the organisation to distil the core value while identifying the optimal workflow it provides . Design thinking has been developed to creatively solve problems by seeking out the different , not-soobvious human causes of problems . Steps to keep in mind include observations and interviews , uncovering insights , prototyping ideas and developing concepts .
Inevitably , this will result in a redesign of workflows to modernise apps for the requirements of a post-pandemic world . On the one hand this will bring the cross-channel consistency so desperately needed and on the other it will make apps more relevant and useful in the new normal .
Digital Transformation has entered a new period due to the pandemic . The opportunities that can be unlocked by this potential are myriad , but it requires a different way of thinking and using apps than before .
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