Today, organisations must continually adapt to innovate and expand in order to remain competitive and relevant. Failing to do so puts them at risk of stagnation or, worse, failure.
To stop this, we have a simple mission at Org. It’s to make businesses smarter using technology empowered by humans. This boosts resilience and business efficiency.
Take our newest initiative, for example, the ‘Idea to Innovate’ programme, is designed to provide a structured and supportive environment where businesses can freely explore and implement AI and automation solutions that suit their needs. The programme prepares companies for next-generation technology adoption by offering strategic guidance, prioritisation tools, and a clear roadmap for successful implementation. Put simply, it means businesses can stay creative while making sure their investments pay off.
AI & automation adoption challenges
Spurred by industry trends, competition, and the growing hype around digital transformation, many companies feel the pressure to adopt AI and automation. However, this pressure often brings with it a set of common fears. Businesses may be unsure where to start, lack the necessary knowledge, or feel overwhelmed by choosing the right AI and automation tools.
Through a desire to simply do something, some companies fall into the trap of jumping straight into purchasing expensive technologies without addressing underlying business problems first. This approach can lead to wasted budgets, ineffective solutions, and minimal returns on investment (ROI). Additionally, once expensive technologies have been purchased, organisations can lack clarity on how to tailor the technology to work for them.
What is the ‘Idea to Innovate’ programme?
The programme supports businesses in first defining their challenges and then empowering them to explore advanced, effective solutions. It’s not just about technology, it’s about using creative business ideas and the right tools to solve real-world problems.
The programme encourages organisations to start with “what if” questions that can impact their business, such as:
- What if we could reduce repetitive tasks?
- What if technology could resolve inefficiencies?
- Which business challenges should we prioritise?
Ultimately, it provides a safe space for businesses to share ideas, demystify technology and transform those ideas into tangible, actionable solutions.
How ‘Idea to Innovate’ empowers businesses
The programme encourages businesses to focus first on what they aim to achieve, rather than which technology to buy. By sharing their frustrations, inefficiencies, and pain points, Org can guide organisations in determining whether AI, automation, or process improvements are the most suitable solutions. Typical scenarios in which businesses can benefit include automating mundane tasks such as reporting or data gathering to free up employees for value-added activities like analysis and decision-making.
The programme uses a data-driven system to prioritise, using a scoring system to evaluate around 40-50 ideas during each session. This approach helps businesses identify and prioritise the most impactful ideas for implementation, focusing on those with the highest potential return on investment (ROI).
Cultural change and employee empowerment
As well as technology, focusing on cultural transformation is vital. That’s why businesses must adopt a ‘People-First’ approach to engage employees in the process, rather than simply implementing technology for its own sake. This is crucial.
Involving employees from the very start ensures that teams don’t fear technologies like AI and automation but see them as opportunities to enhance their work and job satisfaction. The ‘Idea to Innovate’ programme features an ongoing central hub where employees can submit, review, and receive recognition when their ideas are implemented, creating a culture of innovation. This approach helps businesses create an internal ecosystem where ideas from employees at all levels drive digital transformation.
Success stories and real-world applications
‘Idea to Innovate’ has already sparked significant transformations across various organisations. For example, the Irish government’s COVID-19 response used AI to automate test reporting, cutting the time from 22 minutes (done manually) to just 50 seconds per form – that’s a time saving of more than 96% This freed up resources for more valuable tasks like analysis and decision-making.
At hospitals, nurses didn’t sign up to be “data analysts” but they do want more time to care for patients. By taking over data-related tasks and acting as digital assistants, AI freed up three hours daily for them to spend with patients.
At the heart of these projects is the programme’s human element. The spirit of collaboration, innovation, and empathy that underpins these efforts reflects Org’s community-driven approach.
Key considerations before adopting AI & automation
This is all great, but business leaders must take a holistic approach to make informed decisions about adopting AI and ensure they derive the maximum benefit:
- Think strategically: What business outcomes are you trying to solve with technology?
- Start small, think big: Begin with minor projects and scale up based on their success.
- Evaluate data quality: Bad data equals bad outcomes.
- Engage employees throughout the process: Demystify AI for staff, encourage idea-sharing and demonstrate how AI as a tool can make their job more fulfilling.
Start your innovation journey now
Connect with Org to start your company’s digital transformation journey with the ‘Idea to Innovate’ programme. Remember, the best ideas come within your own ranks. Let us help turn those ideas into reality.
Contact us to learn more or sign up for a consultation.