Information emerges, lives and changes. They are the basis of every digitization. People, processes and systems ensure that this information flows and is up-to-date and correct at every point at all times. At least, that's how it should be. Because if these central nerve pathways are interrupted, it becomes exhausting.
With our ISCM analysis and recommendation, we always look at the data flows of a company, because this is where we find important clues for the actual maturity level of digitization. Denn abgeschlossene Datensilos, manuelle Schnittstellen und fehlende Datenflüsse sorgen dafür, dass Informationen unvollständig, zu spät oder ineffizient zum Kunden kommen. Echte und nachhaltige Digitalisierung funktioniert nur, wenn Informationen auch reibungsfrei fließen dürfen. Wir haben dafür sogar vor vielen Jahren einen passenden Begriff erfunden, das Information Supply Chain Management (ISCM).
What does Information Supply Chain Management (ISCM) mean?
The term information supply chain management is based on supply chain management and describes the supply chains of information and data, their networking and interactions.
As in logistics, where a supply chain for goods and materials is created via the interaction of processes, organizational units and systems, information supply chain management describes the supply chains of data - which are often no less complex. In some areas, e.g. in the context of the "Internet of Things", one already speaks of the digital twin, i.e. every product produced has its individual, digital twin, which is managed as a data record with the corresponding serial number in an IT system. This data record can then be enriched with current information that corresponds exactly to the "real" twin, e.g., on specific performance data, maintenance intervals, wear and tear, geometry in space, etc.
The information supply chain is ideally suited to describe the complex data and information flows within a company: Product development generates design data that is managed in PDM systems. Bills of materials are generated, which are needed in ERP to control material procurement.
Product properties derived from this information are collected in PIM systems, which in turn are used by configurators to enable the customer to put together the right product in the web store. And the central service app also accesses all this information to provide the right answers to very specific questions. The deployment of software updates and upgrades is also based on powerful information supply chains and the complex interactions between the products and the underlying data, systems, interfaces, processes and data structures.
Ultimately, the information provided by the information supply chain serves one central purpose: to optimize the customer experience. Perfectly interlocking information supply chains are therefore a decisive success factor in customer experience management: because only with comprehensive, correct and up-to-date data can you achieve an excellent customer experience.
Xtentio's information supply chain management approach therefore does not look at specific topics, IT systems or business processes in isolation, but focuses on the entire data flow from data creation to use by the customer. This ISCM perspective enables - completely independent of organizational units, existing processes and internal trench warfare - a deep look behind the scenes, an objective assessment of the current situation, in order to define in the next step meaningful options for action and individual scenarios for improvement and a sustainable, beneficial digital transformation. With functioning data flows, digitization becomes controllable in the long term and sustainably successful.
The ISCM analysis and recommendation for action
The ISCM analysis and recommendation for action is a consulting product of Xtentio. In a short time and with manageable effort, we lay the foundation for a successful and sustainable Digital Transformation together with our customers. Learn more about the "Five steps to a new perspective" in the video.
Das Information Supply Chain Management ist die Schlüsselkompetenz in der Digitalisierung. Bei der Xtentio finden Sie die Spezialisten. Unsere ISCM analysis and recommendation, traces the information supply chain and shows the way to sustainable and benefit-generating digitization.