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The digital transformation of new and existing technology is ever ongoing. In industries ranging from sales and marketing to science and medicine, technology is advancing and transforming at a lightning pace.
For product managers, this brings about numerous challenges. Thankfully, these challenges are not without abundant resulting benefits. From streamlined operations to greater profitability, it’s an area of particular expertise for Bane Hunter, a renowned global product and project executive in the technology sector.
To demonstrate, what follows is a closer look at technology transformations in product and program management and elsewhere, courtesy of the tech sector executive.
What’s one sector that’s seeing significant tech transformation-related benefits?
Healthcare and Government services are a standout field for technology transformation, particularly from a product management perspective. Such advances have brought many benefits, including increased accessibility to medical information, improved patient care, and streamlined overall operations.
At the same time, more tech-forward requirements have faced numerous challenges in recent years.
What challenges are the Government services and healthcare sector facing in light of ongoing technology integration?
Bane Hunter notes that one of the biggest threats to both areas currently involves cyber criminality. As the sector has become increasingly rooted in technology, it’s become a prime target for cybercriminals. That’s as the sheer volume of sensitive data and access to critical systems becomes accessible through one or more forms of technology continues to skyrocket.
This data is highly sensitive and can be used to take over or compromise critical functions, meaning robust cybersecurity measures aren’t optional – they’re must-haves. The more significant risk comes from technology integration that is outpacing comprehensive cybersecurity measure implementation. It’s for this reason that product and project managers for example, in healthcare are now making cutting-edge cybersecurity measures a top priority.
What are some of the consequences of a data breach in a field like healthcare?
Integrated technology in healthcare and elsewhere is only at significant risk of a breach where vulnerabilities exist for cybercriminals to exploit. Legacy systems are one culprit, especially when interconnected with, for example, newer electronic health records, telemedicine facilities, and the so-called IoMT – the Internet of Medical Things.
Primary risks include threats to patient safety and legal and regulatory implications. Such eventualities can also result in substantial financial losses, such as from regulatory fines or the cost of recovering from a breach. There’s also reputation damage between healthcare providers and patients to consider. Furthermore, these breaches can usually become gateways to further systematic compromises.
How can project managers best ensure safe and secure technology transformation measures?
Not all systems can be designed and operationalized as closed loop systems, therefore, just a handful of best practices can alleviate much of the risk of many of the most severe consequences linked to data breaches, whether in healthcare or elsewhere. It’s imperative that product and project managers and anyone else involved in transforming technology for businesses and other organizations familiarize themselves with these practices prior to initiating any transformation.
First and foremost is understanding their current enterprise status, access oversight, risk assessment and internal capabilities. For example, access management restricts who can access sensitive data in the first instance. Meanwhile, regular risk assessments serve to identify and address newly arising vulnerabilities. Equally knowing what you don’t have the capability to implement and sustain is just as important, as is knowing when you need to implement it.
Bane Hunter explains that ss with any internet-connected technology, encryption and secure storage remain pivotal, as does ongoing cybersecurity training for all directly involved staff members. Furthermore, with the continued expansion of AI across multiple facets of organizational structures, a comprehensive understanding of the existing and emerging capabilities, standard operational procedures and product roadmaps dealing with AI have to be part of any corporate or Government services planning. With that said, AI deserves its own discussion due to the complexity and impact it is and will have.
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This content is brought to you by Bane Hunter
Photo provided by the author.
