accenture defense technology vision 2016...accenture defense technology vision | 2016 6...

People First: The Primacy of Defense Industry People in the Digital Age

Accenture Defense Technology Vision 2016

Accenture Defense Technology Vision | 2016

2

Digitally Capable Defense Will Put People First

Digital Culture Shock

The world is in the midst of a major technology revolution, specifically a digital revolution. Our research model and anal-ysis shows that digital is now dominating every aspect of the defense organization—from the front end to the back end.Change is the new normal. According to our global technol-ogy survey of more than 3,100 IT and business executives, 86 percent of the executives anticipate that the pace of technolo-gy change will increase rapidly or at an unprecedented rate in their industry over the next three years. Many defense organ-izations, already reeling from the impacts of technology and the changes they need to make in response, find themselves temporarily overwhelmed—some even paralyzed as they absorb the magnitude of the tasks ahead.

Getting past the digital culture shock that so many defense organizations find themselves in today sounds daunting. But fortunately there are models already available for inspiration. Not only have many large tech companies established thriv-ing digital cultures, but there are also early adopters in other industries showing the way ahead.

The Accenture Technology Vision 2016 identifies five technolo-gy trends, fueled by the people first principle, that are essential to success in a security environment that is increasingly digital.

Every year, the Technology Vision team partners with Accenture Research to pinpoint the emerging IT developments that will have the greatest impact on companies, government agencies, and other organizations in the next three to five years. As technology advancements continue to accelerate at an unprecedented rate—dramatically disrupting the workforce—defense organizations that equip their staff with new skills can fully capitalize on these innovations. Those that do so will have unmatched capabilities to continuously create fresh ideas, develop cutting-edge products and services, and disrupt the status quo.


3

Intelligent automation is the launching pad for new growth and innovation. Powered by artificial intelligence, the next wave of solutions will gather unprecedented amounts of data from disparate systems and—by weaving systems, data and people together—create solutions that fundamentally change the defense organization, as well as what it does and how it does it.

Defense organizations can expect to see unmanned physical solutions as well as unmanned automated, cyber and virtual solutions. For example, artificial intelligence can predict, observe and sense incidents from big data that human intelligence or signal intelligence methods are unable to detect. Digital also opens up the potential for machine learning or artificial intelligence to “weaponize” data —increasing volumes of data, and the capability to manage it, is a growing challenge for defense organizations.

Predictive analytics can help defense organizations gain swift business outcomes. For example, the Accenture Insights Platform draws on preconfigured technologies and in-depth experience to enable organizations to achieve actionable analytics insights in weeks, as opposed to conventional approaches that can take months. Advanced analytics can help defense organizations to enhance military capability as well as take mission support efficiency up to the next level.

Digital solutions are also being used to align the interaction between warfighters and defense with the current expectations of digitally savvy millennials. As warfighter services and mission processes are becoming more intelligent, digital, interactive and automated, the military capability can benefit significantly from technology evolution.

Trend 1: Intelligent Automation The essential new co-worker for the digital age


4


5


6

Increasingly, today’s defense organizations are challenged by attracting and retaining the right talent. Digital technologies have changed how the military workforce operates. Rapid innovation demands continuous learning and re-skilling. Growing automation and robotics reduce the need for less qualified personnel. Digital situational awareness and command and control systems means decision making can happen faster and more comprehensively at the frontline of military operations. Such developments require highly qualified, digitally savvy and flexible personnel. Managing this new talent also needs a predictive approach, as the impact of new technologies on skills and workforce structure must be understood early enough to plan accordingly.

With many armed forces serving in operations internationally, a high degree of flexibility is needed around not only the staffing of soldiers but also the training required to multi-skill and re-skill the military workforce within short time periods. For example, many military personnel may find themselves working out in the field with digitally controlled weapon systems, sophisticated command and control systems and complex IT-applications. Increasingly, they will be equipped with handheld devices, sensor capabilities and all kinds of digital assistants that support the sharing and receiving of information “on-the-move.”

A next generation of digitally savvy staff is required; yet typically, these millennials are not interested in defense organizations or do not wish to commit to standard, long term work contracts. Millennials are seeking out jobs that combine exciting challenges, excellent qualification programs, and flexible career paths. In future, to meet these demands and build a liquid workforce, military leaders will need to consider new digital tools, systems, and workforce management approaches.

Trend 2: Liquid Workforce Building the workforce for today’s digital demands


7


8

Industry leaders are unleashing technology’s power by developing platform-based business models and strategies to drive the most profound change in the global macroeconomic environment since the Industrial Revolution. This is reinforced by 81 percent of our survey respondents who agree that platform-based operating models will become part of their organization’s core strategy within three years.

Platform-centric operating models and strategies are being considered in many defense organizations across the world. In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Defence unveiled a new initiative to overhaul the department’s information, communications and technology capabilities. Known as “defence-as-a-platform’” the vision involves the department moving from multiple silo’ed systems with duplicate functions to a unified, common architecture supporting all end user services.

Trend 3: The Platform EconomyBuilding the workforce for today’s digital demands


9


10

Fast-emerging digital ecosystems are creating the foundation for the next big wave of enterprise disruptions by straddling markets and blurring industry boundaries; forward-thinking leaders can proactively predict these ecosystem trajectories to gain a competitive advantage. Companies are already significantly or moderately experiencing ecosystem disruption, with 81 percent of survey respondents indicating that they are seeing this in their industry.

Established defense organizations can no longer rely on their traditional way of doing things. They must draw on different ecosystems to provide new services—whether that is social media, artificial intelligence, connected ecosystems, connected services, smarter machines, or intelligent processing capabilities. Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence and technology investments lifecycles are shortening—requiring more frequent re-investments or midlife upgrades. As a result, defense organizations need to re-align their technology strategies, and speed up procurement and development cycles.

Trend 4: Predictable DisruptionLooking to digital ecosystems for the next waves of change


1111


12

Trust is a cornerstone of the digital economy, said 83 percent of survey respondents. To gain the trust of individuals, ecosystems and regulators in this new landscape, defense organizations must recognize that better security, on its own, will not be enough.

The question of how to build trust in a digital environment is highly relevant to defense organizations. Whether pursuing data security outcomes—taking advantage of cybersecurity awareness or training of military personnel—or collaborating with other countries, defense organizations must continue to work in a secure way as the digital world evolves. Data integrity, quality and accuracy is vital for situational awareness. Defense organizations need to carefully assess how they can secure not only the identity but also the access of a warfighter in a digital environment, whether from headquarters or the field. As the number of digital devices increase and as operations are more dependent on those digital devices, security, trust and reliability are evermore critical. False or unreadable information due to incompatibility of systems can be literally a matter of life and death.

Defense leaders may be investing in digital technologies, but due to a lack of trust they are not adopting them quickly enough. Even though there are moves to embrace the private cloud, there is a suspicion about the public cloud—a

reluctance to entrust military data outside of the defense organization’s own four walls. Embracing mobility and employing a liquid workforce requires new thinking around being able to trust in the integrity of data received and shared. There will always be a need for multiple security levels—some data can be accessed by all personnel and other information could be highly confidential—which means there is an added complexity to gaining digital trust. Unlike most other organizations, the defense industry has responsibility for the safety and security of the nation, so defense leaders are wise to want to ensure the security, integrity, and reliability of the networks and systems for which they have responsibility.

Trend 5: Digital TrustStrengthening stakeholder relationships through ethics and security


13

About the Technology Vision Research

The research process began during 2015 with gathering inputs from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board, a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture capital, and entrepreneurial companies. The Technology Vision team conducted interviews with technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders.

The team also tapped into the vast pool of knowledge and innovative ideas from professionals across Accenture, using our collaboration technologies and a crowdsourcing approach to run an online contest to uncover the most interesting emerging technology themes. More than 3,200 participants actively engaged in the contest, contributing valuable ideas and voting on others’ inputs. As a shortlist of themes emerged from the research process, the Technology Vision team reconvened its advisory board. The board’s workshop, involving a series of “deep-dive” sessions with Accenture leadership and external subject-matter experts, validated and further refined the themes.

About Delivering Public Service for the Future

What does it take to deliver public service for the future? Public service leaders must embrace four structural shifts—advancing toward personalized services, insight-driven operations, a public entrepreneurship mind-set and a cross-agency commitment to mission productivity. By making these shifts, leaders can support flourishing societies, safe, secure nations and economic vitality for citizens in a digital world— delivering public service for the future.

14

If you would like to know more about the Accenture Technology

Vision visit www.accenture.com/technologyvision or join the

conversation #techvision2016

Connect with us to learn more on delivering public service for the

future on Twitter @AccenturePubSvc



15

Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.Accenture, its logo, and High Performance Delivered are trademarks of Accenture.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions—underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network—Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 373,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com

The views and opinions expressed in this document are meant to stimulate thought and discussion. As each business has unique requirements and objectives, these ideas should not be viewed as professional advice with respect to your business.This document makes descriptive reference to trademarks that may be owned by others. The use of such trademarks herein is not an assertion of ownership of such trademarks by Accenture and is not intended to represent or imply the existence of an association between Accenture and the lawful owners of such trademarks.

Antti KolehmainenGlobal Managing DirectorAccenture Defense Services Tel: +358 2057 25303Email: [email protected]

Dr. Valtteri VuorisaloIndustry Innovation Senior PrincipalAccenture Defense Services Tel: +358 2057 28854Email: [email protected]

References1. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-accenture-insights-platform

2. Computerworld, July 2015, http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/it-management/mod-it-chief-unveils-defence-as-platform-plan-3619227/

accenture defense technology vision 2016...accenture defense technology vision | 2016 6...

Documents