Digital Transformation is not a destination for SAP, but an ongoing journey to evolve along with new technologies and confidently redefining businesses. The emerging new technologies including big data, cloud analytics, IoT, AI etc. are making machines smarter thereby enabling organisations to drive their end to end digital transformation smartly and strategically.
SAP has realised that businesses are having new requirements and there are opportunities to support them differently. SAP is adapting to the changes and with notable success of HANA, SAP has learned a lot about business transformation and innovation while closely working its customers. It is clearly understood that success of digital transformation is not just driven by technology but it also depends upon new ways of working, designing, thinking and new business models. Digital transformation is not just about innovation but new ways of innovation through lot more experimentation and iteration.
SAP Leonardo is the result of SAP’s new directional approach to Digital Transformation. Since its inception, there have been many articles, blogs, videos etc published across social media praising or criticising Leonardo’s capabilities.
SAP Leonardo in simple terms is not a software product or application but it is a comprehensive digital transformation system innovated differently by bringing new technologies together including IoT, Big Data, Machine Learning, blockchain, analytics and AI (all in one package) that enable customers to leverage these future-facing technologies for driving their business transformation.
Innovative and comprehensive portfolio of SAP Leonardo will certainly benefit businesses in extending their digital core and creating new opportunities while empowering imagination along with design and development of end to end processes across organisations.
While SAP Leonardo is presenting new opportunities, it equally brings challenges. SAP’s new offerings have always affected careers of SAP professionals along with its partner portfolio.
SAP Partners and Consultants need to understand SAP Leonardo and embrace it capabilities along with new business models. It is indeed a great product but are customers prepare for this transformation in every aspect including infrastructure, personnel, financial, emotional etc.? It is critical to evaluate the need of SAP Leonardo for every business before implementing it. Also, how many SAP Consultants (in reality not on CVs) will have the skills required to implement SAP’s innovation.
SAP Technical Consultants like ABAP Programmers, Netweaver / PI / PO, Security & Auth, Basis Administrators, SAP Solution Managers and Integration Specialists can start their learning journey to get ready for new innovations. It is recommended to gear up knowledge in C, C++ programming along with Java to cope up with new technical skills.
There are unlimited possibilities in the digital world and SAP Leonardo is laying strong foundation for the future. Anyone who is looking forward to starting their career in SAP or thinking of Second Career, this is “The Opportunity” to grab a promising career and not just a Job.
* SAP Leonardo: Internet of Things – SAP SE 2017
* What is SAP Leonardo? – Computerworld UK (Carey) July 2017
