Technology is a foundational pillar of an organization’s operations. Those looking to improve processes, better utilize resources and create an efficient workplace see value in implementing new systems. Keeping those systems healthy is an integral part of a successful technology strategy and being proactive about their care is important for the well-being of an organization. Properly maintained systems can scale to meet the evolving needs of its users long after implementation. In this post we will discuss the importance of system health and explain a maintenance approach for organizations.

Recognizing the Importance of System Maintenance

Organizations often search for new solutions as a result of an urgent need that their current systems are not satisfying. This type of experience can serve as a wake up call. Questions surface such as what could have been done to prevent this? And, how can I keep it from happening again? These moments can be amplified during times of change or resource limitations. Internal knowledge and support gaps may have developed as a result of staff turnover, multiple vendors or inadequate knowledge transfer. They are also heightened when complex needs arise and there is a lack of technical capacity at the organization. While challenging, the experience provides an opportunity to assess how the organization can improve after the immediate challenge is addressed.

Often these issues have been building over weeks, months and even years manifesting themselves only when a critical need arises. Symptomatically this can include lack of adoption, little confidence in the system, offline spreadsheets and minimal communication between departments. The move towards system health can take many shapes but will share core components that can put your organization on the right path.

How to Approach System Maintenance

Organizations should implement an approach focused on incremental enhancements and continuous improvement. In doing so, the mind set changes from purely break-fix to addressing short-term problems with long-term sustainable solutions. This means challenging assumptions to go beyond solving the immediate issue. It takes an organization’s strategy a step further to determine root cause, which will include technology, people and processes. It also means incorporating preventative measures that help ensure consistent functionality for users, build system confidence and increase adoption.

When consistent and incremental improvement is prioritized organizational capacity begins to grow. Users begin to look for ways to leverage the system more effectively, incorporating processes that had previously been completed offline or in disparate systems. When an organization can look beyond immediate challenges and realize their system’s potential that is when they can be confident in their technology. A healthy system means reports show accurate and timely information, staff are comfortable using the solution and there is organizational confidence that future challenges will be met.

Summary + Conclusion

Forward-looking organizations are aware of the positive impact technology can have on their mission. System health is an imperative part of any technology strategy and relies heavily on proactive maintenance and incremental enhancements. Growth requires an investment in scaling central systems to continuously improve operations and best utilize resources.