Navigating the Future of Work: A Novel Framework for Seamless EUC Transformation

In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, the imperative for end-user computing (EUC) transformation is clear. Organizations seek to enhance productivity, agility, and user experiences, all within the dynamic framework of three distinct modes of working: in person, hybrid, and remote. This article explores a novel approach to EUC transformation, where technology converges with change management to deliver sustainable results.

Setting the stage: The EUC transformation landscape

Per Forrester, as of 2022, 66% of enterprise leaders have embraced anywhere or hybrid work, a trend poised to persist as the benefits of flexible work models become evident. EUC technologies, having served as a lifeline during the initial years of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to underpin organizational productivity, cybersecurity resilience, and customer engagement. The year 2023 holds the promise of EUC technologies remaining indispensable for organizations striving to navigate the complex terrain of modern work modes.

Rise of work from anywhere and at any time necessitated the need for seamless transitions between in-person, hybrid, and remote modes, with zero impact on business. Employee engagement and productivity, retention, and well-being, attracting and retaining talent and adaptability in a hybrid work environment became key concerns that organizations needed to ensure. Investing in EUC transformation directly influences digital employee experience (DEX) engagement and productivity by over 70% which has a direct impact to business success.

The EUC-DEX nexus: where technology meets people

While technology forms the backbone of EUC transformation, the human element is equally critical. The success of any EUC initiative depends on the smooth adoption of changes by employees. We recommend an EUC transformation methodology integrates various facets and best practices.

Recommended EUC-DEX transformation methodology:

Central to the methodology are the end results / goals of EUC transformation, essentially: “maximize availability of applications, adapt to changing work styles, support new business models, streamline device management and operations, and improve overall use experience.”

Figure 1: Methodology for EUC-DEX

An EUC transformation should align itself to the following key principles:

1. Connected: The EUC environment should be user-friendly, providing the necessary information and tools for productivity.
2. Human-centric: Processes and technologies should be designed with the employee in mind, tailored to diverse work styles.
3. Form: The EUC environment should be visually appealing, aligning with the organization’s purpose and priorities.
4. Flow: Systems, tech, and processes should be smooth, quick, and easy for everyone to use.
5. Feeling: The EUC environment should promote learning, growth, safety, security, and a sense of connection and belonging.
6. Function: The EUC environment should enhance productivity and reduce wasteful effort.

Recommended EUC-DEX transformation key pillars within the methodology include the following:

1. Design EUC-DEX: Devices and services that are required for each role in the EUC ecosystem. These devices and services vary according to type of employment, job roles and type of engagements and are the first step to enabling robust digital employee experience. Design of the desired end-user computing experience therefore helps to establish – “what good for EUC looks like.”
2. Design support services for EUC-DEX: Create support services for maintaining the EUC environment and assisting users. While designing the support services for EUC-DEX one should assess the risk, user choice and degree of customization for each role in the client organization and provide support services for EUC-DEX depending on form factors, portability, and cost.
3. Governance for EUC-DEX: Develop policies and procedures for managing the EUC environment, including security, data management, and access control. This should address areas such as endpoint security, ease of usage, collaboration, singularity of truth, role-based access management and asset management as the key focus areas while defining governance structure in the end user compute ecosystem.
4. Change management for EUC-DEX: Develop a plan for communicating changes to users and helping them adopt the new environment. Manage the change journey by engaging stakeholders and communicating to end users. Assessing and developing readiness for the change helps the client organization adopt change fast and transition to target state.

Components needed for the success of an EUC ecosystem include:

• Business managed apps (BMA): Apps developed and managed by the business.
• Endpoint management system (UEM): System for managing and securing endpoints.
• Virtual desktop (DaaS): Service providing access to virtual desktops.
• Personal devices (BYOD): Policy allowing the use of personal devices for work.
• IT asset mgmt. (ITAM): Process for managing IT assets.

The following considerations should be kept in mind while designing and deploying EUC environments:

• Risk: Identification and management of risks associated with EUC transformation.
• Cost: Optimization of the cost of the EUC environment.
• User Choice: Support for user choice in devices and services.

Standardization vs. personalization: Balancing standardization with personalization for cost reduction and improved user satisfaction.

Approach for accelerating EUC-DEX transformation:

The approach covers the steps: discovery and assessment, strategy and planning, implementation and enablement, communication and engagement, monitoring and optimization.

Figure 2: Approach for EUC-DEX

1. Discovery and assessment:

• User-centric profiling: Identify user personas and their unique EUC and DEX needs.
• Digital experience benchmarking: Establish baseline metrics for user satisfaction, productivity, and engagement.
• Technology audit: Assess the current EUC infrastructure to identify gaps and opportunities.

2. Strategy and planning:

• EUC-DEX alignment: Align EUC transformation goals with broader organizational objectives.
• Change champions: Empower change champions to advocate for EUC and DEX improvements.
• Customized EUC roadmap: Develop a tailored roadmap accommodating user preferences across different work modes.

3. Implementation and enablement:

• User-centric training: Provide role-specific training for proficient EUC tool usage.
• Continuous feedback loop: Establish mechanisms for real-time user feedback.
• BYOD and mobile integration: Ensure seamless integration of BYOD policies and mobile-friendly applications.

4. Communication and engagement:

• Multi-mode communication: Develop a multi-channel communication strategy.
• Gamification and rewards: Implement gamification elements to encourage user engagement.
• Community building: Foster a sense of community among employees.

5. Monitoring and optimization:

• Real-time analytics: Continuously monitor EUC performance and DEX metrics.
• Agile adaptation: Apply an agile approach for iterative improvements based on user feedback.
• Security and compliance: Ensure EUC solutions align with security protocols and compliance standards.

6. Evaluation and evolution:

• DEX maturity assessment: Periodically assess DEX maturity and adapt the framework accordingly.
• Scalability assessment: Ensure the framework accommodates organizational growth.
• Innovation integration: Stay updated on emerging technologies and trends.

Key to success: a user-centric approach to change management

A user-centric approach is crucial for EUC initiative success. Making platform components accessible to users and managers, without requiring specialized expertise, ensures the smooth introduction of new technologies, delivering true value to end-users.

Essential components of change management:

• Change management timeline: A defined timeline for key change management activities to minimize disruption during rollout.
• Change impact identification: Identification of change impacts and assignment of owners for mitigation plans.
• Communication and engagement activities: Customized dissemination of company announcements and user engagement.
• Training strategies: Comprehensive training plans tailored to minimize the impact of change.
• Centralized platform adoption: A plan for centralizing user desktops and applications, facilitating robust security management.

Measuring success through enhanced digital employee experience (DEX):

Metrics are essential for gauging the impact of EUC transformation efforts. Key metrics include user adoption rates, performance enhancements, user satisfaction levels, cost savings and efficiency metrics, and compliance and security metrics.

User adoption rates: Ensuring employees embraced EUC solutions.

• Impact: Boosted productivity, streamlined workflows, and enhanced collaboration, contributing to overall success.

Performance enhancements: Monitoring system reliability and response times.

• Impact: Improved efficiency, reduced downtime, and cost savings, enhancing competitiveness.

User satisfaction levels: Gauging satisfaction with new tools and processes.

• Impact: Increased user engagement, productivity, and smoother technology adoption.

Cost savings and efficiency metrics: Tracking savings through automation and optimized licensing.

• Impact: Strategic resource allocation, innovation, and competitiveness.

Compliance and security metrics: Ensuring security standards were met.

• Impact: Enhanced reputation, minimized risks, and legal compliance.

In summary, these metrics offered a comprehensive view of our EUC transformation’s impact. They guided data-driven decisions, identified areas for improvement, and demonstrated our efforts’ tangible value to stakeholders, enabling successful navigation of the EUC landscape.

In the era of digital transformation, EUC transformation is a journey reshaping how work is conducted. CIOs play a pivotal role in driving effective change management, ensuring the seamless convergence of technology and people. By fostering a culture of agility and adaptability, organizations can unlock the full potential of EUC transformation, achieving a harmonious balance between innovation and user satisfaction.

About CIO Advisory Practice @ Infosys Consulting

Over the next 5 years CIOs will lead their companies toward fundamentally new ways of doing business. CIO Advisory Practice @ Infosys Consulting is helping organizations all over the world transform their operating model to succeed in the new normal – scaling up digitization and cloud transformation programs, optimizing costs, and accelerating value realization. Our solutions focus on the big-ticket value items on the C-Suite agenda, providing a deep link between business and IT to help you lead with influence beyond the back-office remit. We help clients create the strategic vision and capabilities for the CIO to better engage with the board and business.