Digital Technologies

Introduction, Session 1
Probal Mojumder

January 2022
Technology
Intensity

2
Points of Contact
Teaching Assistant: Devendra Singh

• E-mail: devendra.singh@iimu.ac.in

• Mobile: 9568812704

Subject Representative: Mokshi Agrawal

• E-mail: mokshi.agrawal.2021@iimu.ac.in

Office Hours for Prof. Probal Mojumder – Over Zoom (Link TBA), every Friday 3pm to 5 pm.
What do you want from this course?
What will we cover in the course ?

• Explore IT and Digital IT

• Get an overview of the types of legacy and digital technologies
• Understand nuances of digital transformation from strategy through execution
• Understand business applications of various digital technologies
• Understand how business decisions can be made across technologies
• Help you make informed decisions in respect of your career choices

5
Course Outline

6
Grading

Component Maximum points

Class participation 10

Quiz (2) 10x2 = 20

Case Study Submissions (Group) 10x2 = 20

Final Project 20

Final Exam 30

Total 100

7
Class participation

• 5/10: for attendance

• 6/10: for participating with general/average points; speaking 1-2 times
• 7/10: for making better points, which shape the discussion; speaking 3-4 times
• 8/10: for making points which are explicitly appreciated (good/ well done etc.)
• 9/10: for making exceptional points, which hit the core of the issue
• 10/10: for saying/seeing something that I have not thought of
Final project

• 6 group projects will be randomly assigned

• Groups to submit the presentation before the 1st project presentation
class (i.e., Session 10)
• Groups to present their project in class (10 minutes presentation+ 5
minutes Q&A
• For every group presenting, another group will be assigned to lead with
questions
What is Information Technology?
• Use of electronic media to store, transmit and process information or
data

• Use to solve business problems

• Complements humans

• Increases efficiencies

• Enhances effectiveness

• Drives innovation
Another way….. IT’s 4 Cs

• Calculate – Speed, Accuracy

• Connect – LAN, WAN and the Internet

• Change – Ways of doing business

• Capture (Today and Future!) – People’s Attention and Mind (AI!)

Types of IT companies
Products vs Services vs Platforms
Software Products Software Services Platforms
Scope Usually limited a few process areas Varied and multi-functional Varied and multi-functional

Level of customization Low High Base platform is standard.

Partners must conform to
Limited customization based on Delivered to customer specifications platform standards
customer needs

Domain knowledge required High, Onus of innovation with vendors Low Domain knowledge required by
by the vendors partners

Intellectual Property Belongs to the developer Belongs to the customer Platform IP belongs to the
platform owner. Partner IP
belongs to partners
Gestation period for High- higher investment and higher Low initial investment and project- Lower investment from
development based partners

Payment Model One-time fee or license + Annual Negotiated based on the scope of Revenue share
Maintenance Fee (AMC) the work

Sales Model One-time and need-based Incremental and relationship-based Platform providers attract
partners through multiple
business models
System of Record (SoR)

• Authoritative data source for a process

• Characteristics:

• Complete (account for all relevant

processes and programs)
• Accurate (reflect operations as they are
and follow internal or regulatory best
practices)
• Timely (represent the most up-to-date
snapshot of the business)
• Consistent (enforce a consistent data
model)
System of Engagement (SoE) An example of SoE

• Where employees interact with a SoR

• Characteristics:
• Decentralized
• Customised

ICICI Bank’s iMobile App

Traditional IT

Supplier Input Process Output Customer

What’s the issue here?

Challenges with traditional software

• Monolithic, Single, Integrated Platforms – Scalability Issues

• Loss of control by the companies - Software providers defined Business Processes
• Governance forced a one-size-fits-all approach to technology use – ERP, CRM
• Overwhelming technical complexity and inflexibility – change one break many
• Costs of change, multi-national expansions and accessibility – move into new country
• Dependence on physical maintenance – Data Center

Software architectures must be blank canvasses capable of yielding tiny

pictures or large masterpieces.
Traditional software architecture
Welcome to Digital IT
Customer-centric
Characteristics of digital

Design Omnichannel Accessibility

Characteristics of digital architecture

• Micro-services and Modularized – Flexible

• Companies maintain control of process – APIs
• Governance allows integration of specific modules – Salesforce
• Choice of implementation technology – Speed to Market
• Pay as you Go – Clear Visibility of Costs
• Simplified Maintenance – Cloud
Integrating legacy to digital

Application APIs

Mainframe APIs

Mainframes
In summary

• Technology is critical for competitive advantage

• All companies are technology companies!
• SoR vs SoE
• Challenges with traditional IT
• Move to customer-centric digital IT
• Need to integrate legacy with digital technologies while managing the
two simultaneoulsy
 Fluid AI Case is in Moodle
Questions for Case in Session 3 (Fluid AI)

What business was Fluid AI in?

What is the core value proposition offered by Fluid AI to its customers vs its
competition?

Why did Fluid AI focus on banking industry and that too on international banking clients
to begin with?

What other industries can Fluid AI expand into? Please state two other industries and
elaborate on some use-cases within these industries.

2.5 marks per question

Instructions

• Group response
• 2-3 page word document
• To be submitted prior to the class
• Times New Roman, Font 12, Spacing 1.15
• File Naming: FluidAI-C3
Questions?