We are all in the same BOAT

Regardless of the industry you are in, we are all in the same BOAT. The metaphor will be explained further down in the text. Somewhere beyond RPA, BPA, and Low-Code development, there is a BOAT appearing on the horizon creating seemingly impossible outputs, and its captain is called: competition. What is this BOAT and why are we all in the same one while new challengers seem to arrive in a different, more efficient, and agile one?

Who is commandeering the boat on the horizon?

No matter of one’s stance on AI use in enterprise processes , and the fact that many new and agile companies use the term in a very liberal sense, there is a difference between the “classic” and “agile” enterprise. The real “I” behind the sudden rise and success of these companies is not artificial but is more parallel. No matter how many IT systems or AI assistants one tries to orchestrate, automate, or simplify, the output of the company often remains the same. Many business owners are in the same boat, thinking that throwing IT solutions at problems will solve them. However, there is a distorted vision whenever integration, automation, orchestration, or analysis are mentioned.

BOAT should not fix the IT problems; it should fix the business problems!

At the recent Gartner Application Summit in Las Vegas, the push towards coining new abbreviations gave life to a term: “BOAT”. It means – Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies. Encompassing a whole suite of technologies used in business to maintain smooth and efficient operations with an increasing level of AI, BOAT again focuses more on the IT side of things from a business perspective. In the same sense, BOAT platforms seem to offer benefits such as:

• Rapid application development
• Efficient use of resources
• Reduced error rates
• Increased data quality
• Accelerated processes
• Flexibility, agility, responsiveness etc.

If the recent sudden rise of new disruptors with such agility and flexibility is considered, many enterprises naturally struggle to achieve the same outcomes with different types of platforms supporting their IT architecture. However, many of the rising challengers started with all these points in mind from the business side through the IT perspective, thus avoiding the pitfalls of constant leveling and adjusting business processes and IT systems supporting them. In other words, it seems to be easier to start building a business from scratch nowadays than it is to incorporate everything that has changed not in the last couple of decades, but in recent years.

That is the “BOAT” that we’re all in. The same “BOAT”, trying to maintain its course while the waves of modern, agile, and flexible technologies try to capsize it. However, thinking that all outcomes that BOAT platforms seem to offer are the results of solving IT problems could be as productive as burying one’s head in the sand to avoid the wind. Focusing on the business problems and the challenges in business processes through IT systems is probably a better way to go, especially if one’s enterprise is still lagging behind the competition.

Business (IT) Benefits of BOAT

Even the Gartner analysts in their recent summit started from the beginning of the abbreviation and explained it letter by letter… but they skipped the business (seemingly it is implied). Process orchestration and automation are crucial for maintaining a steady course in ever-changing enterprise environments.

Focusing on “AI-Powered Control” and “Real-Time Adjustments”, many of the early adopters of BOAT platforms shy away from measurable business outcomes for their digitization initiatives. The “Technologies” part of the abbreviation seems to offer the elimination of siloed data and solutions, leading towards a more connected future in the enterprise, but often ending up in a rigid monolithic cage (you can read about this hier). And to top it all off, the entire story of BOATs in business ends up offering more control and efficiency, which is something every businessperson thrives for. It still focuses on introducing and implementing technologies with vague terms that resonate well with business leaders without real and measurable business outcomes.

Jobs said it best!

As the great Steve Jobs said in 1997 at a developer conference, focusing on the technology (or in this case IT systems) first, and figuring out how it will help the business in the long run can temporarily help the business but cannot transform it and cannot make it agile. Its metaphorical boat will still be rocked by any incoming wave regardless of BOAT implementation. Focusing on the business side of things first and rethinking processes before introducing new technologies and platforms might seem slow and costly, but it is the only way in which the agility and flexibility of any enterprise can be achieved.

Let’s switch it up then and try to focus on the business side while addressing some of the use cases of BOAT in different industries.

Manufacturing:

Technology focus	Business Focus
Predictive maintenance	Lower maintenance cost
Optimierung von Lieferketten	Reduced downtime

Financial services and banking:

Technology focus	Business Focus
Fraud detection	Increased revenue
Automated reporting	Insights for upcoming trends

Retail:

Technology focus	Business Focus
Personalized customer experience	Increased revenue
Inventory management	Decreased waste

Pharma:

Technology focus	Business Focus
Einhaltung von Vorschriften	Reduced time-to-market
Streamlined procurement and inventory	Decreased downtime

Schlussfolgerung

When everything is considered, whether an enterprise is “steering a car”, “sailing a BOAT”, or “flying an airplane”, it is important to remember that true transformation begins with a deep understanding of business processes and their needs. By prioritizing business-focused outcomes and integrating technologies that enhance rather than dictate processes, companies can navigate the turbulent waters of competition with agility and resilience. It should not matter how technologically advanced business strategies are if they are not fundamentally sound in addressing core business objectives. That being said, it can be abbreviated in any shape, way, or form, but the platform that can help with the transformation of businesses should focus on the business processes first. Who knows, maybe we are not all in the same BOAT, maybe we just need to focus on the “Process iPaaS” which is a pretty bad segue into the next link.