Four key steps to creating a DEX Operations Center
Even before the Internet was invented, companies had Security Operations Centers (SOCs) to monitor, manage, and secure the enterprise. This was because protecting data, applications and the network were all considered integral to the company’s success. Today, no serious business would ignore the importance of its networking activities.
But when it comes to an even more valuable resource – employees – companies have only recently begun to assess and improve the quality of the digital employee experience (DEX) and the resulting impact on productivity. One way some organizations are tackling the problem is to create DEX Operations Centers (DOC), i.e. a feature designed to maximize the digital experience for all employees by removing blockers, reducing stress and enabling better focus to make.
However, building a new feature can be difficult if it is not well planned. Fortunately, creating a DOC doesn’t have to be a complicated or difficult process. Having worked with several organizations, I can testify that, with the right approach and management support, it is possible to launch a small, but fully functional organization after just a few key steps.
VP Professional Services at Nexthink.
Avoiding the big mistake
Launching a new technology-related initiative can be daunting. Every company has its own horror stories of projects going wrong or costly implementations going awry.
One of the most common reasons for this is that all too often companies start by purchasing expensive technology and then try to retrofit a structure and rationale to justify it. This is exactly the wrong approach, especially when building a DOC. Technology solutions and tools should provide the final piece of the puzzle, after the organization has developed a full understanding of the purpose, scope and structure of the proposed DOC.
Four workshops
While there is no one ‘right’ way to build a DOC, as we have been involved in several such initiatives, there are four key elements that need to be addressed. While these are crucial steps, fortunately they don’t have to be particularly extensive. If all relevant stakeholders are available and involved, a DOC can be created with four targeted workshops:
1. The mission: The first workshop is of the highest level, but also the most important: the mission of the DOC must be clearly defined. Once there is a clear definition of the DOC’s mission and vision, outlining why it is needed and what it aims to do for the business, a whole range of subsequent decisions become easier. Additionally, this helps position the DOC within the organization, making it clear which teams it will work with and what the reporting structure might be. For example, a company might launch a DOC with the vision of providing the best possible digital experience to all employees.
2. The service catalogue: After defining the vision, mission and positioning of the center in the organization, the next workshop should focus on the services the Center will provide. DEX covers a wide range of potential services and use cases, so it’s essential to start with a small number and implement them efficiently, rather than immediately trying to tackle twenty different problems from scratch. In our example above, the initial services may involve hardware and software optimization to improve device performance and therefore the digital experience.
3. The usage scenarios: In the same way that the service catalog is aligned with the mission, the specific use cases, standard operating procedures, and deliverables must be aligned with the services catalog. Continuing our example, the use cases for our hypothetical DOC could be about supporting the reduction of proactive tickets, extending device lifespan, or identifying and reusing unused hardware instead of purchasing new one.
4. The team: Once all of the above are in place, the final workshop can assess what kind of team and operating model is needed to most effectively execute the plan. For some organizations, the DOC will be an evolution of the support team that sits alongside traditional IT support, while others may merge the two into a larger team. There is no right or wrong answer to how to create a DOC – some organizations have a fully dedicated team, others only partially. Some have their DOC as an internal function, others outsource it. Some have a dedicated team; others use a cross-functional set of skills. Most importantly, with the services and use cases already mapped out, it is much easier to identify the expertise and input needed to make the Center a success.
Only after all these decisions have been made should organizations start thinking about what technology is needed, otherwise they may find themselves spending significant amounts of money on new solutions without achieving any valuable ROI.
An evolving practice
While every company should follow the four steps above when creating their DOC, it doesn’t mean they should feel limited in terms of what it looks like. There is no minimum size, set of services or standard structure to follow. Many centers launched with just two people and a handful of use cases. Indeed, it may be better to scale back ambitions for the initial launch and ensure everything runs smoothly before increasing investment.
No matter how the organization is constructed, once the Center has achieved some successes, it will be much easier to promote the value of DexOps as a concept and gain additional buy-in from stakeholders across the enterprise. And because a well-built DOC is agile and responsive to the needs of the business, it will mature along with the business, adding or removing services as needed to best facilitate the core mission. Either way, as long as organizations take the time to map out a good mission, vision and operational structure, any DOC will consistently add value in all areas of the employee experience.
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