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I heard my colleague and namesake Frank Patz-Brockman use this phrase recently in a discussion with a potential client in Switzerland.

Frank was addressing the underlying concern of the CEO and the CTO at the start of what is an ambitious digitalisation project for their $50M turnover engine components manufacturing company.

The promises of digitalisation are enticing: seamless information flows, improved efficiency, smart products, superior customer service - just to name a few. But how to get there in ‘one piece’, efficiently and effectively?

‘Boiling the ocean’ is not the way forward. Yes, have a ‘big idea’, but have a flexible plan for your journey, ensure you start small, aiming for the lowest hanging fruits, then expand to cover more elements of the company, locking in additional benefits over time. 

This requires a clear understanding of current challenges and opportunities, of the existing standard software solutions (like ERP, PLM) in place, PLUS a smart flexible solution to link all data, processes, technology and people together – step by step.

Modular software platforms (let’s call these digitalisation platforms) are the key. They combine the advantages of both standard and custom software – through allowing the use of standard modules and flexible adaptations for specific company needs. Each module offers a self-contained solution, while being part of a business-wide, holistic digitalisation transformation approach. 

But let Frank explain this in his own words and much better: Frank wrote a white paper called 'Modular Platforms are changing the rules of digitalisation'. It’s a 10-minute read and you can download it here

If you want to get to know the leading digitalisation platform for small and medium-sized companies, have a quick look at this 3-minute video introducing CONTACT Software's Elements platform below. It shows the idea in action, including some case studies.

The phrase ‘There is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time’ might well have been around for much longer than its first recorded use (1970 by the US Army officer Creighton Abrams) but it is as relevant for today’s digital world as it is for complex military operations.