Too often, small and mid-size companies are intimidated by the costs, complexity, and long implementations…

It’s possible to turn RA/QA into a smart function much faster and cheaper than most executives think.

When many people imagine a smart digitization, they envision something complicated and expensive the kind of massive ERP/PLM that take more than a year and consumes lot of money. Many of the greatest benefits of intelligent digitization require much less time and money.

The low-tech, low-cost path to a smart business/function unit works for companies of any size and is especially well suited to the appetites and abilities of small and midsized companies. Middle market executives report being daunted by disruption, especially in technology. In an unpublished survey conducted by DDi earlier this year, 55% of companies said technological change is happening too fast for them to keep up. They don’t need to be concerned. Instead, the middle market can be the prime beneficiary of the revolutionary democratization of the digital realm. In recent years, cloud computing platforms have brought sophisticated capabilities within reach of almost every company. These changes empower enterprises of all sizes with state-of-the-art tools for smart companies.

When properly designed and deployed, a smart-digitization strategy can accelerate efforts to solve the worker shortage, bridge the skills gap, shorten lead times, or reduce outsourcing need. The key is knowing where to begin.

Start by identifying the business issue you are trying to solve. Companies should focus on the company P&L and identify KPIs and metrics that directly impact on it. The next step is to figure out how to apply smart-digitization concepts and tools to improve performance on specific benchmarks, which typically include overall effectiveness, productivity, reduce compliance issues, increase speed of product launches.

What made the gains which took less than three months possible? In our work with companies, we have identified three best practices that help make smart projects affordable and successful.

Make cost versus benefit your focus

Most practitioners define “smart digitization” in terms of software technologies (such as Automation, RIM, and product management systems). Any or all of these can be part of a smart digitization but a focus on tools or technologies runs the risk of not seeing the opportunity. In our experience, an approach that defines a smart company with the lens of company P&L brings pragmatism that is required for success of overall operations.

Leverage existing assets

You don’t need to replace existing tools with a monolithic digital platform. Adding digital capabilities to existing infrastructure will get most of the benefits of a rebuild for less money, in less time, and with less need to fix the problems new platforms always have.

Put functional leaders in charge

The best leaders for smart projects are experienced executives who combine functional/business pragmatism with digital savvy. Too many balance sheets show write-offs for projects that didn’t deliver the goods sometimes literally. In this respect, many middle market companies have an advantage over larger rivals, in that their senior leaders are closer to operations both experientially and physically. We have seen this combination of capabilities work time and again.

When a company’s smart digitization approach is laid out according to business priorities and leaders look for the simplest solution, inexpensive, quick-strike tactics can improve yield and quality, boost productivity of resources, deliver savings, reduce lead times, and more.

Moves like these are a better fit for the capital constraints midsized and smaller companies face. They deliver results faster and fit with the ability of midsized companies to move quickly, unencumbered by corporate bureaucracy.

A low-tech, low-cost approach to smart digitization provides small and middle market companies with low-risk gains while at the same time providing valuable learning and experience for executives, managers, and teams that can pave the way to bigger, more technologically-advanced investments later.