Innovate To Operate

The word ‘Innovate’ originated in the mid 16th century from Latin innovatus to mean something renewed/altered and from the verb innovare which means to make new. Technology is not only ever in a state of renewal but when infused into a business, allows for it to evolve in both productivity and efficiency. “Adoption of digital transformation can change our own lives and operations,” opens Mercy Ndegwa, Head of Public Polict at Facebook (East & Horn of Africa), “…it plays a key role in making sure businesses can achieve what they want,” she continues.

Innovation can be termed as the greatest output for money invested. To adopt a process that works and only improves to stay working. “Digital transformation has brought real-world solutions to real-world problems and the world of business,” states Mercy, especially in these unprecedented times many companies need the digital leg up.

There are innumerable advantages to injecting technology into the jugular of your organization’s strong hold. It aids in productivity as, relying on manual processes to do all kinds of work can be time and money costly. The pandemic pushed the borders of communities around the world, mostly inward. Social distancing protocols have regulated the need to not only stay home but work from home. Whole business are operating and adapting to the process of continuity and productivity through technology. “Companies have transformed themselves by using the digital platform to continue facilitating business,” Mercy says.

“Technology is playing the role of helping businesses to amplify and maximize on opportunities that exist,” Mercy says. It can be used to secure your business through automation and can ensure that it stays protected at all stages of productivity thus ensuring that efficiency stays a key part of the process, as well as an observed reduction of human error. “Tech has empowered businesses through allowing them to use digital tools that not only increase efficiency but learn how to be more innovative,” Ms Ndegwa remarks.

A great example is the Ministry of Health partnering with Facebook to initiate a blood donation campaign to help get more blood to those in need, especially in the case of the pandemic. This was through a section in the ‘About’ section of the user’s Facebook profile whereby there is a Blood Donations tab that allows them to sign up as a donor. Thus when blood donation centres need donors, they send a request through the app which is received as a notification to any donors around. Allowing the user to be able to interact and donate to anyone in need. With an easy interface and at the click of a button, a real-world solution has been applied to a real-world problem. “Technology makes everything easier, businesses can now scale much greater heights as opposed to how they did in the past,” Mercy says.

With all the conversation and practicality centred around innovation, we must all be very intrigued as to what the future of innovation and technology looks like. According to Mercy Ndegwa, she sees it to be quite fruitful. “I believe the future of transformation is going to have an integration of different sectors and people,” she says. An all-inclusive and diverse field of talent and passion that bustles and jolts awake the world of technology and business.