Digital transformation of educational institutions is the implementation of digital processes in all their areas, not only in the core teaching activities. Together with new technologies, consultants come to a complete rethinking of all processes in educational institutions. It is all about the formation of new business models with a comprehensive update of the sphere.
Digital transformation has become one of the main topics in recent years. Because it practically occupies all spheres around a person. With such penetration, the main factor is total awareness. It is an exchange of general information, with easy access to open data arrays. The competitors (educational institutions) know everything about each other and try to lead in an open struggle and rivalry.
On the other hand, it eliminates barriers for educational institutions. They can easily build business models. However, speed and flexibility are required for decision-making. With access to knowledge and tools like the plagiarism checker QuillBot, technological opportunities to develop and conduct comprehensive analytics for business grow. The openness of digital transformation allows for geographical expansion.
What is digital transformation?
The process of digital transformation is a rethinking, a change in business models. When digital technologies are used, processes, approaches, and interactions with the customer audience change. In essence, this is a high-level global automation, covering all links and departments. When the interaction between them is also automated, but this is not a simple implementation of new technology. It leads to changes in culture, thinking, and approaches within educational institutions.
Thus, the difference is visible:
- Digitalization narrowly automates individual processes. For example, in educational institutions, it can be electronic reporting.
- With transformation, the coverage of all areas and elements in business models is comprehensively revised. It combines digitalization with innovations and cultural aspects for people.
Digitalization lays the foundation for global digital transformation, which covers technology and people.
Good examples include online educational platforms, digital document management, and reporting.
The role of consultants in digital transformation
This is what consultants should do in their work:
- Optimize costs with increased productivity and speed of work through the elimination of routine operations and human errors.
- Adapt to changes in the external environment.
- Reduce and eliminate the risks of accidents, failures, and downtime.
- Improve the quality of management at all stages.
- Increase profits and competitiveness by taking the listed factors into account.
What components do consultants take into account?
The key components of transformation are the following elements:
- Unity of culture and leadership. Leaders play an important role in the transition to new technologies. Develop people’s readiness for change, taking their cultures and mentality into account.
- Innovative flexibility. New ideas are tested, adapting to market changes. The educational institution should be ready to experiment.
- Technological infrastructure with a reliable technical base (cloud technologies, AI, large databases).
- Continuous data collection and analytics.
A set of components for forming digital transformation systems allows educational institutions to make informed decisions, improve services, and increase the efficiency of all combined activities.
What technologies do consultants deploy?
The success of transformation is determined by professionalism, training of leading specialists, and key technologies:
- Cloud computing via remote servers. These flexible, scalable solutions reduce IT infrastructure costs.
- CRM/ERP systems. They manage the business models with full service and all their functions.
- Artificial intelligence with the automation of routine functions, analysis of huge amounts of knowledge, and informed decisions.
- Internet of Things (IoT). Network devices work to monitor, improve services, and create new ones.
- Machine vision. Systems for recognizing faces, texts, and graphs.
- Big Data. Servicing huge arrays in order to attract valuable information for the implementation of global projects.
Each technology has its own niche for application. With the introduction of these technologies, the business models reach a new level of work with a high degree of automation, are adapted to the market, and have high competitiveness.
What hinders consultants?
Transformation is an effective, promising technology for building a business model on a deep digital basis with the overall integration of all components. But there are interfering factors. The main barriers to its implementation are:
- The team itself, accustomed to the established process, resists changes.
- High costs. Not enough resources, investments for acquisition.
- Problems with data in terms of volume, quality, and security. Software incompatibilities – improvements are needed. There are complex IT solutions and possible information leaks.
- No scope for scaling.
These factors are important to consider before the start of the project. Readiness with sufficient user experience is required. Otherwise, there will be problems with launches. Preparation and training are required.
How consultants prepare for digital transformation
It is not enough to decide to start digital transformation. Careful preparation of all links is necessary. The structure of preparation is built on the following stages:
- Assembling a team of those who are needed for a specific project (managers, architects, product managers, analysts, specialists in the relevant areas).
- Conducting analytics on current processes. Consultants determine the stages of transformation waves.
- Clearly formulated SMART goals.
- Developing a strategy. To implement it, consultants decide on the tools to use. At the same time, they evaluate the potential effect of the application.
The described strategy should be transformed into a detailed plan of activities: technical, organizational, personnel, and social for adaptation.
