Life coach - Kaikaku - 13 - IT Vision 2015 for Defence Services

Information technology and its consequential transformation of organizations is here to stay. It is only a matter of time before our forces climb aboard the bandwagon.

At the minimum - nothing transformational just incremental improvements in efficiency

• No longer does the clerk have to submit the Part II orders by post to CDA or the various Regimental HQs.
  
• No longer does theQM / MT / Tech clerk need to submit demand through IO mail or there is no printed IO mail. Auto update of demands that have not materialised.
• Precourse training for various courses can be online and course notes / manuals are available on demand. YOs handbook, D&M, RSO, whatever be the course - there is no need to take notes
• Clothing for soldiers is managed electronically irrespective of which units they are located when the due date arrives
• Weapon inspection, vehicle inspection, document inspection - all records are electronic, reminders auto generated, escalations automatic - but someone does need to do the inspection manually
• The list could go on and on, but back to my vision

In next 5 years, I foresee the start of the transformation. And I hope that we are ready to get it right the first time. Hopefully if any of you are involved in any manner with the IT transformation, I would be honored if my focus areas pave the road-map. Each of the focus areas is an areas of expertise in itself and would need highly specialized skills.

These are my top 10 2015 focus areas

1. Client - server / thin - client / zero client architecture: All the terminals in the individual companies / platoons / offices will be dumb terminals. The main computing will happen at the server which would be housed in a secure environment - maybe near the Quarter Guard.
   
2. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI): An extension of point 1 where the technology virtualizes a desktop and stores it on the remote central server. By making desktops and data more uniform and available, its possible to weather a natural or human disruption with minimal downtime or loss in productivity.
3. Mobile enterprise - mobility, telecommuting and virtual meetings: Many of you use blackberrys / iphones and it is so easy to get work done. In my previous engagement I was travelling from Baltimore to Phoenix a 5 hours flight with 1 hour early checkin, I was getting 5 hours of work done before reaching the destination. With netbooks becoming ubiquitous managing mobile devices and ensuring tight security would be a major concern.
4. Private cloud computing: Due to security concerns public cloud computing is not feasible, but private cloud computing is possible
   
5. Software as a service (SaaS) strategy: This would include selecting the right provider, draft the contract, having an exit strategy, managing the relationship, interoperability and integration, etc
6. Right sourcing and vendor consolidation: With most of the IT work being performed by vendors due to obvious reasons like expertise and economies of scale and scope, right sourcing is critical. And the ability to maintain security with use of vendors needs to be managed right. Again the right mix of vendors to prevent dependency on few as well as to encourage competition is a challenge
7. Green data centers with scalability and flexibility options : If we can start on the green note the very first time designing for a scalable and flexible architecture, we will do the right thing
8. Business intelligence and predictive analytics: With the enormous amount of data that is available, it should be easy to predict failures of machinery, planning for trainings, economic order quantities for supplies, linear programming that generates optimum correlation for depots and units, etc
9. Business continuity and disaster recovery transition from peace to war: The ability to operate in Peace as well as War zones and maintain a predetermined standard of services
10. Information security: Training, policies and audits - automated and physical is the way to go