Symbiote’s Managing Director, Owen Windsor, explains the differences between an integration and a digital transformation.

What’s the difference between integration and transformation?

‘Digital transformation’ describes a potentially complex and challenging process that promises to replace an organisation’s existing systems and databases with a streamlined single tool.

Integration gathers your data from wherever it is and allows you to present it where you need it – no transformation or migration necessary.

Rather than having dozens of browser tabs and systems open, with multiple logins, an integration can provide a one-stop-shop you can use internally or share with your customers so they can self-serve.

What’s the problem with many digital transformation projects?

Digital overwhelm is often the reason an organisation will undertake a digital transformation. It’s understandable to want the simplicity of a single system.

Some organisations find their transformation stalls or they spend more energy on digitally transforming than they do on running their business.

It’s not unusual to be left with a collection of unconnected legacy systems or specialised subscription systems that couldn’t be migrated as part of a transformation.

What does integration involve?

Integration involves writing code to integrate, or exchange information with, legacy systems and databases and a range of external data sources, so you can find and use all that information in one place.

You can think of integrations and application programming interfaces (APIs) as methods of creating a conduit that gathers data from wherever it's stored and displays it on a secure site or dashboard (or any other digital location where it’s needed)

Integrations don’t disrupt an organisation, are flexible, and have the potential to process and display your data into any format you like, so your information becomes even more valuable with minimal effort.

How do organisations use integrations?

myki made simpler for millions of Victorian commuters: this case study shows how we used integration to give millions of users of the Department of Transport Victoria’s myki system a secure, intuitive way to easily plan and pay for their journeys all in one place. Previously, users had to go to several different sites to manage their myki travel card, look up timetables, plan trips and see notifications about changes to the transport system.

The essential steps in designing the perfect intranet dashboard: this case study describes an integration we built for Public Transport Victoria’s customer service staff, significantly increasing their productivity by providing all the data they needed on a single intranet, using a single secure login. This integration was so successful, it was modified to make it available to the public, so they could get immediate answers to even complex queries.

What does your ideal dashboard or intranet look like?: this Insight shows three examples of how integrations can be used to create dashboards, intranets or other digital methods of aggregating and displaying data to increase productivity and enable better decision making for a local council, the manager of a manufacturing company and a board of company directors.

Could integration solve your digital overwhelm, increase productivity and make better use of your data?

In many cases our customers opt for integration as a non-disruptive option that allows them to simplify their organisation's data and display them in the location and form they require.

If you’d like to have a confidential conversation about whether this option might work for you, we’d be happy to hear from you.