Unlocking Your Potential: How Business Process Transformation Powers Effective Cloud Adoption

In an era where data reigns supreme, having a cloud-powered data strategy is the catalyst for unlocking your business’ true potential. 

The results speak for themselves: 88% of cloud-powered companies have an enterprise-wide data strategy, versus only 59% for other companies, according to PwC’s 2023 Cloud Business Survey, giving cloud-powered companies a competitive advantage in terms of data management and utilization. And 100% of cloud-powered companies report improved decision-making since making the transition.

Achieving these benefits is within your grasp — provided you make a successful transition to the cloud. But moving to the cloud alone isn’t necessarily transformative, and a poor implementation can further complicate already messy processes. You risk putting a Band-Aid on dysfunctional legacy processes.

That’s why a successful change starts with the business, not the software. 

Transform the Business First

To integrate the cloud effectively, you need business-driven, end-to-end processes — from collecting data and designing solutions to customer-facing experiences. But most organizations don’t have this infrastructure in place before adopting cloud technology.

Many businesses continue to operate with legacy processes that are inflexible and many times conflict with the scalability and agility of the cloud. Additionally, these processes may be difficult or impossible to migrate, which limits the potential benefits of cloud adoption. 

Legacy processes often stem from outdated technology or organizational structures. The biggest challenge to replacing them is often organizational inertia — people are used to the current setup and view change as more work and less preferable than the status quo. From a technical standpoint, many legacy processes have become overcomplicated over time, and failing to address these complexities before moving to the cloud can create lasting post-transition headaches and inefficiencies. 

Legacy systems such as applications, processes, workflows and data can be difficult to untangle because of years of layering and modifications. True business transformation requires a holistic strategy — first to understand the legacy landscape and then to determine the desired end state.

Start by evaluating your processes and workflows, with a keen eye for blindspots that could complicate cloud adoption. Consider ‌areas that rely heavily on on-premises infrastructure, legacy systems or manual tasks, for instance. These processes may pose challenges when transitioning to cloud computing. Look for bottlenecks, dependencies or other complexities that could impede a smooth transition.

Consider the scalability requirements of each business process. Determine whether your infrastructure can handle increased workloads or has the flexibility to adapt to changing demands. Additionally, assess the resources required for each process, such as computing power, storage or data transfer. Identify any processes that could strain cloud resources or have unusual requirements.

Start Small and Scale Up

Testing enterprise-level digital transformations with a pilot lets you experiment, mitigate risks before committing your infrastructure to the cloud. By addressing challenges at a small level, you reduce the impact on business operations.

Additionally, starting small helps companies gain hands-on experience and build internal expertise in cloud technologies. With the help of a trusted cloud provider, your team can better understand the intricacies of cloud platforms, develop best practices and train employees. This gradual approach fosters a culture of learning and innovation, ensuring a smoother transition.

Align Stakeholders on Shared Priorities

Cloud transformation requires every unit within the business to be in sync. This starts at the top, where leadership buy-in and resources are essential. By contrast, if the change starts within your IT organization but doesn’t have broader business backing, you’re less likely to have a clean and successful cloud adoption. 

The problem is that you don’t know what you don’t know. IT doesn’t necessarily understand what other departments see and experience, and vice versa. This is where a trusted cloud partner like Mission Cloud can help your organization manage the cloud migration process more holistically.

Start by engaging in open and transparent communication with key stakeholders. Clearly explain the potential benefits of adopting cloud computing, such as cost savings, scalability and increased efficiency. Encourage executive leadership and other stakeholders to raise concerns so you can address them or assuage misconceptions. 

Develop a road map that outlines the steps, timeline and expected outcomes of the cloud adoption process. Stakeholders are essential during the planning process for raising concerns you haven’t considered and to ensure alignment with the previously identified priorities. 

As the transformation project progresses, apply change management principles to set a cadence for regular communication to maintain engagement and address new concerns. Communicate to every business unit and department what the goals are, their particular role and where they need to work with other functions to get things done. Without this collaboration, each function ends up on its own, which produces fractured efforts. Successful cloud transformation requires everyone to row in the same direction. 

Collect Employee Feedback and Insights

Employees are the primary end users of cloud technology, so you want their feedback during the cloud adoption process. They can provide an on-the-ground perspective of how cloud computing affects daily workflows.

Conduct surveys to gather structured feedback on specific aspects of the transition. Additionally, consider hosting focus groups or conducting one-on-one interviews to gather more detailed insights and allow for open-ended discussions

Find the Right Partner to Drive Transformation Success 

As businesses increasingly rely on cloud technology to manage their operations, you need to understand whether your business processes are up to the task. Failing to align cloud transformation with the business strategy can make implementation slower, less successful and extremely frustrating.

As you go through this process, you don’t need to manage the transition completely in-house. Working with an experienced partner such as Mission Cloud can harness the expertise you need to achieve a successful cloud transformation and free up your resources for other work. 

Cloud adoption is increasingly part of staying competitive, but you need to lay the groundwork with sound business. When you transform your business, you’ll be prepared for a successful cloud adoption that drives innovation and creates an agile future.