The most important step a company can take with its tech stack is not a solution and doesn’t involve an implementation. But that’s not what most focus on, of course. They think about each platform in a vacuum, determining cost and what role it will serve and forget to look at the bigger picture.
It’s why I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard, “We implemented [insert technology] but it’s not working how it should.” In my area of expertise, MuleSoft, there’s a solution available that can solve these issues in a hurry. And it’s especially important when you consider that the purpose of MuleSoft is to integrate your platforms into a connected and cohesive ecosystem.
Having a solid foundation is critical to any technical or marketing success, and it’s often that foundation that gets overlooked. For organizations that leverage MuleSoft, that foundation can be solidified with a Center for Enablement.
This isn’t another solution to add into the mix. It’s a framework to ensure the solutions you do add work well together and make life easier on your teams. Especially for larger and complex organizations, the Center for Enablement methodology makes building and launching new assets on MuleSoft more efficient, consistent, and effective.
Because this is a tailored framework and not a typical one-size-fits-all solution, it will look different for each organization and depending on who you are working with to create it. Various partners, including Studio Science, have their own approach and process for enabling a Center for Enablement. Ours, for instance, is to be as lean and efficient as possible in order to quickly let companies realize the full potential of their platforms.
Broadly, in the end, the following should be represented:
It’s an action-oriented approach, which is important considering this is a very tactical process. Some start with a massive, broad theory of integration but never get anywhere. My best advice is to think strategically but act tactically.
Usually these projects start with the identification of a specific problem within an individual team. The goal is to solve the problem that caused the need for integrations in the first place. What tactics are going to lead to success. But a secondary goal should be how can this impact the organization at large as a consistent approach.
There are plenty of benefits in the here and now. Reuse is a major emphasis for creating efficiencies. Meanwhile, the best practices and governance procedures allow for higher-quality assets, which are then delivered more easily because you can do it with fewer developer hours and code defects.
But to see the full value of a Center for Enablement, you also have to look down the road. You’ll see efficiencies on each new asset created, but additional success comes in the long-term ability to scale. Not only does each individual asset get done more quickly and easily, but by creating benchmarks for success and introducing each new asset into a structured framework of consistency, what you are doing is future-proofing your ecosystem stay on brand as you adapt with the landscape.
As I wrote before, integration design requires stepping back to look at the full picture. You’re building a connected ecosystem, so don’t just focus on each individual component and miss how they fit and work together. And a big part of working together is consistency. Your teams will thank you in the end, not just because their work just got easier, but because your company will benefit as a whole.
