Digital Ecosystem

A digital ecosystem is a group of interconnected information technology resources that can function as a unit. Digital ecosystems are made up of suppliers, customers, trading partners, applications, third-party data service providers and all respective technologies. Interoperability is the key to the ecosystem's success.

Digital ecosystems are frequently created and controlled by market share leaders; the model has its roots in keiretsu and is quickly influencing change in various industries, including consumer products, automotive and healthcare. The integration of business-to-business (B2B) practices, enterprise applications and data within an ecosystem allows an organization to control new and old technologies, build automated processes around them and consistently grow their business.

Unmanaged, organic growth of an ecosystem can be fatal to a business. It's important when building an ecosystem to ensure all dependencies have been identified and can be controlled. Creating a digital ecosystem map is a key to establishing a strong ecosystem. The digital ecosystem map is a visual diagram of all digital tools and platforms used within the organization. It illustrates processes, how data is transferred between parts of the ecosystem and whether or not the process is automated or manual. To be effective, mapping should also document which systems are not currently connected or able to speak and transfer data between each other, as well as who the users of each system are and who is responsible for maintaining them.

How digital ecosystems work

The technical, legal and business-related difficulties found in digital ecosystems are significant. Service orchestration, delivery and monetization, as well as customer communication and data management (CCM and CDM, respectively) across the entire ecosystem, are some of the biggest challenges.

The tools for managing an ecosystem can fall into the following categories:

• project management tools, such as Agile software development tools, task management software and issue tracking systems;
• research applications, including data storage and visualization, resource libraries and archives;
• engagement tools, like email marketing, donor management tools and customer relationship management (CRM) software;
• collaboration tools, including email, file sharing, instant messaging and video conferencing;
• public platforms, such as websites, Mobile apps and social media channels; and
• knowledge management platforms, like intranets and wikis

How to map a digital ecosystem

The digital ecosystem map is essential to any digital transformation. The goal of the map is to clarify what an organization has to work with, guarantee they have the proper tools to support their goals, and ensure they are being as efficient and effective as possible in achieving those goals.

The following steps can be used to create a digital ecosystem map:

1. Create a list of tools. Take inventory of all applications and systems used within the organizations.
2. Document who uses the tools. Identify who uses each system and app and who is responsible for each one. This helps ensure all necessary stakeholders are included in the ecosystem.
3. Categorize the use of every tool. Define what every system and app does and for which department and purpose. Systems should be categorized by ownership and department.
4. Form connections between tools. Indicate where data is transferred between tools and whether or not it is done automatically or manually. Note what tasks are being duplicated and which systems possess similar functionalities.
5. Define the effectiveness of every tool. Investigate whether any tools are underperforming and need to be replaced, upgraded or consolidated. Feedback should be provided by the people who use the specific tool every day.

Prioritize every tool. Rank each tool according to how critical it is to the organization. If tools are going to be replaced or added, consider their importance in terms of their immediate need to the organization and create an order in which they should be implemented.