Define Automated Goals that Suit the Organization's Current Stage
Principle 1: Start Small and Scale Up, Flexibly Combine
This principle means that in the organization's automation of cloud-based business, small business requirements should be addressed first, gradually expanding the scope of automation, and flexibly combining various automation tools and technologies to achieve the optimal automation effect. This approach can help organizations gradually master automation techniques and methods, and can achieve both the balance between business and technology by gradually understanding and abstracting business processes and maximizing business efficiency and quality.
Principle 2: Business-Driven, Steadily Formation
Business-driven means that in the organization's automation of cloud-based business, the business should be the central focus and drive automation by gradually implementing various business requirements. This approach allows organizations to better understand the value and significance of automation and reduce the risks and complexities of automation implementation. It is a low-risk and reliable solution for organizations to start with a pilot scenario with simple business dependencies and high ROI, and gradually form a complex chain composed of multiple small scenarios.
Principle 3: Scenario Integration, Intelligent Efficiency Improvement
Scenario integration means that in the organization's automation of cloud-based business, various scenarios should be comprehensively considered to improve automation efficiency and quality through intelligent methods. This approach can integrate various automation tools and technologies to achieve a more intelligent automation process, and improve automation efficiency and quality. At the same time, scenario integration can also help organizations identify the boundary between automation and manual operations, so as to achieve optimal resource utilization and efficiency improvement.
Choose Appropriate Automation Approaches
Organizations need to follow the following principles when doing the technology selection process. Selections should be made based on practical organizational needs, rather than long-term, sustainable, and organizational development-oriented technology selection plans biased by managers.
Align with the Organization's Long-Term Strategic Development
Selected technologies should align with the organization's long-term strategic development, that is, technology selection should consider the sustainability and long-term development potential of the technology, to ensure that the selected technology can provide support and help for the organization's long-term development. For example, if the organization's long-term technology strategy is "cost reduction internally, efficiency improvement externally," the direction of the automation selection should also follow the organization's internally mainstream development methods rather than using the latest technology.
Align with the Organization's Technology Evolution
Selected technologies should align with the organization's technology architecture and roadmap, that is, technology selection should consider the compatibility and integrability with the organization's existing technologies, to ensure that the selected technology can provide support and help for the organization's technology evolution.
Align with the Development of Key Technical Personnel
Selected technologies should align with the development of key technical personnel, that is, technology selection should consider the technical proficiency and development direction of key technical personnel, to ensure that the selected technology can provide development opportunities and help for key technical personnel. For example, the organization should not frequently change technology frameworks, and if it does not align with the personal career development of developers/operation personnel, the sustainable development of the organization will be compromised.
If it doesn't align with the personal career development of the developer or ops person, it doesn't speak to the sustainability of the organization.
Align with the Organization's Long-Term Business Development
Selected technologies should align with the organization's long-term business development, that is, technology selection should consider the long-term planning and goals of the organization's business development. This means that technology selection should consider the match and applicability of technology to the business, to ensure that the selected technology can provide support and help for the long-term business development of the organization.
Align with the Long-Term Maintenance Needs
Selected technologies should align with the organization's long-term maintenance needs, that is, technology selection should consider the ease of use and maintainability of the technology. This means that technology selection should consider the stability and reliability of the technology, to ensure that the selected technology can provide support and help for the organization's long-term maintenance needs. For example, when selecting cloud services, it is recommended to select products in the public testing and subsequent stages as the operation base. Products in the invitation testing/trial phase can be used as project pilots.
Pay attention to Business Maturity
Selected technologies should pay attention to the maturity of the business, that is, technology selection should consider the maturity and stage of business development. This means that technology selection should consider the maturity and applicability of the technology, to ensure that the selected technology can provide support and help for the maturity and stage of business development.
Pay attention to Community Activity
Selected technologies should pay attention to community activity, that is, technology selection should consider the activity and trend of the technology community. This means that technology selection should consider the contribution and innovation capability of the technology community, to ensure that the selected technology is consistent with the development trend of the technology community and has the support and help of the technology community. For example, technology iteration is often very fast. Choosing rising/stable native/open-source products can often make the organization's technology investment "more guaranteed".
Pay attention to Return on Investment
Selected technologies should pay attention to the return on investment, that is, technology selection should consider the cost-effectiveness and return on investment of the technology. This means that technology selection should consider the cost-effectiveness and return on investment of the technology, to ensure that the selected technology can achieve a balance between investment cost and return, bringing maximum benefits to the organization. Often, excessive pursuit of technological advancement can lead to less return on investment. The process of automation should also not have the idea of achieving everything at once. Starting with the most urgent business issues, value can be brought through technological means, and continuous iterations are made.