Digital transformation is an exciting process for businesses, unlocking the door to a wealth of different capabilities. Cloud-based platforms support real-time collaboration and communication between teams across a range of geographical locations, while business process automation and machine learning makes organisations more flexible and ready to meet the demands of a changing market. All of this, and more, can be achieved with the right solution architecture.
There are plenty of solutions out there that can benefit businesses, and plenty of opportunities for custom software development as you build your architecture. The problem here is the word "plenty" – lots of different solutions deployed alongside each other can be great for expanding capability, but this can result in vulnerabilities and inefficiencies.
Potential Architectural Weak Points
When solutions do not communicate with one another, vulnerabilities arise. This is because your business will need to make allowances to overcome this lack of communication and integration – perhaps by collating data from one solution into a spreadsheet for use in a different system or sending sensitive data via email connections.
These weak points make data vulnerable to interception from malicious actors. In turn, this makes it difficult to meet regulatory compliance requirements and to win the trust of your clients.
Resolving These Problems
To resolve these issues – or to avoid them altogether – you need to consider your architecture as a whole. Rather than ticking off individual capabilities and criteria, consider how your solutions will fit together as a cohesive unit. Solutions that can talk to one another via secure APIs are far more effective than relying on outdated forms of data handling, sharing and transfer.
Keeping connections to a minimum, and relying on integration only where necessary, is another valuable strategy. For instance, an ERP solution with real-time chat functions built in can help your teams collaborate on resource planning projects within the platform itself rather than seeking integration with an auxiliary chat tool. Devising the ideal software architecture means considering the specific needs of your business and your field, and building a unified set of solutions that meet these requirements.
Case Study: Surf Life Saving Foundation (SLSF)
In 2020, April9 and our partners worked with the SLSF – the world's leading association of surf life savers and life saving clubs – to redevelop the donation and lottery websites for their Australian operations.
The project involved a number of different parameters and requirements, but one of the key aims was to create websites that support high levels of security and a streamlined user experience. This meant providing unified solutions with no weak points or vulnerabilities.
• Secure integration with payment providers
SLSF required secure payments and donations in order to carry out key operations. This necessitated full integration with payment providers, and data encryption to meet not only the demand of the Foundation but also data protection regulations within Australia.
• Integration with legacy systems
SLSF's solution needed to be fully integrated with the association's legacy systems, achieving secure and easy information transfer between these solutions. This meant using secure API endpoints that would support information delivery without delay or disruption, eliminating any potential vulnerabilities.
Putting Integration at the Heart of Your Digital Transformation Strategy
An integrated, unified solutions architecture needs to be among your top priorities as you target effective digital transformation. This architecture ensures you can leverage the security, efficiency and operational flexibility benefits of transforming your business. Reach out to our team to find out how April9 can help you to achieve this.
