Digital Transformation

A digital transformation is remaking companies and their factories, bringing the intersection of manufacturing and technology even closer, enabling that transformation are systems of intelligence that help companies gain insight and take action from big data, optimize their operations and change the very nature of the business models around their industrial products. The examples of the power of digital transformation below are just a small selection of what is possible when technology is adopted and used correctly. From cloud computing to big data analysis, IoT implementation, machine learning and more, the sky truly is the limit. When used correctly, technology can help reduce costs, increase efficiency, improve customer engagement and satisfaction, reduce environmental impact, make predictions, reduce risks, and much, much more. From retail to healthcare, to public services, manufacturing and industry, there’s no limit to where adoption of technology can help make a positive impact.

In healthcare service:

There is now so much technology in our hospitals and doctors’ offices that the amount of patient data collected has sky-rocketed. Using artificial intelligence and clinical and operational analytics technology like Microsoft’s Power BI, physicians and clinicians can gain better insights from the mountains of data they collect, and turn it into actions that can improve patient outcomes. DevScope, a Microsoft partner, has developed such a solution for the São João Hospital Center, the largest hospital in Portugal. HVITAL is an advanced clinical analytics platform, able to predict up to 30% of ICU care admissions, seven days in advance. The solution securely correlates massive amounts of patient data in real time, including vital signs, lab results, and even unstructured data from clinical diaries. Machine learning algorithms then use this data to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration and alert their doctors immediately, before it becomes dangerous. As well as improving care for individuals, the digital transformation we are experiencing in health is also improving the health of our communities at large.

In retail industry:

What could a modern digital retail experience look like? Let’s take an example. Sam is 32, a travel blogger planning her next big trip – climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. She needs new hiking boots so asks Cortana, the smart assistant on her mobile phone, to suggest some ideas. Using Artificial Intelligence, Cortana analyses images of Kilimanjaro’s terrain and checks for relevant stores nearby. Cortana suggests three options, and Sam taps the pair she likes from one of her favourite retailers. The retailer then pops up via a chatbot on Sam’s phone to ask if she would like to try on a pair at a store nearby. They’re holding an interactive ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ experience at the store, where Sam can try the boots on and get a great discount. When Sam arrives, a sales assistant has already retrieved her boots in the right size based on her purchase history. Using his tablet and Sam’s detailed customer profile, the sales assistant can show Sam other offers that might be relevant for her holiday plans – including a new tent, as their records show she hasn’t bought one in the last five years. The assistant recommends options, and then processes Sam’s payment right then and there on his tablet using mobile point-of-sale technology. Sam leaves the store happy, without having to spend any time waiting for her items or bring out her credit card. After serving Sam, the sales assistant uses his tablet to check how many boots are in the stockroom. Cortana alerts him that there is a big sale soon, so he knows to mark the boots and other popular items for restocking from the warehouse nearby. As the store gets busier, the assistant sends a request to the manager’s portable device to temporarily reassign staff to the shop floor. With all this functionality available on his device through Cortana, the assistant can spend less time on admin and more time serving customers.