Opera'23 - The Annual Operations Conclave

Panelist Details:

Opera ‘23 conclave conducted by the Department of Management Studies at IIT Delhi highlighted the importance of collaboration, culture, and continuous learning in delivering better IT faster. The conclave had two distinct themes: IT and Supply Chain. The first session of the event was focused on delivering better IT faster and reducing the time between idea to value by adopting agile technologies. The second session was centred around future proofing supply chain industry and leveraging new age technology.

IT is no longer just an enabler, but the core of everything that happens within an organization. There was also an in-depth discussion on supply chain related challenges faced and subsequent improvements in the industry. There was discussion on how GPS helped in managing the COVID issue by proper tracking of vehicles and proper automation. Leader highlighted the fact that pre-covid there was a lack of self-discipline and processes were not aligned.  in Organizations need to focus on agile practices, upskilling, and staying relevant to keep up with continuously evolving technology. The key to success is a symbiotic relationship between business and technology, with a culture that supports speediness and prioritizes backed by business value.

The role of technology in organizations has evolved significantly over the past decade. Today, IT is no longer just an enabler but is at the forefront of everything that is happening within an organization. Companies such as Adidas, with its vision to bring out the best in athletes, recognize that without IT, they cannot achieve their goals. As a result, businesses are ready to invest in IT, and India has an edge in this regard. During the pandemic, technology was utilized to its full extent, and businesses realized the importance of having robust processes that are technologically enabled.

Panelist Details:

The key to delivering better IT faster lies in three things: IT, processes, and culture. Technology defines the how part of an organization’s vision, mission, and strategy, while processes constructed later support it. Collaborative tools such as Zoom and Teams have brought the world closer and had a significant impact on customer connection. The relationship between business and technology is symbiotic, and both are fundamental to the organization’s success.

To speed up the delivery process without compromising on safety, organizations need to focus on agility, speed, automation, and a culture that aids the speediness process. Team autonomy, alignment of goals, and basic hygiene of security are important examples of culture. Challenges to agile include laziness, lack of muscle strength, consistency, and intent. To overcome these challenges, organizations need to shift their mindset, focus on collaboration, communication, and prioritize backed by business value.

Opera ‘23 was a well-planned event that brought together experts in the IT and Supply Chain industries. The discussions provided valuable insights into how to stay relevant in continuously evolving technology and how organizations need to work smarter by upskilling and staying relevant. Leaders made students aware on how continuous learning is crucial, as seen in examples such as Kodak and BlackBerry that could not stay relevant. A large part of discussion also focused on how supply chain is also important, as seen during the COVID issue, where GPS helped in managing the pandemic by proper tracking of vehicles and proper automation. Other discussed strategies included focusing on what the organization does best, making customers part of the journey, and keeping feedback loops.