Modern business, regardless of what size it is and how big it is, is a complicated process. Even small businesses utilize hundreds or tens of different marketing, business and operational software to function.
These applications must be able to work together to achieve the results that are most important to the business. Business integration attempts to accomplish this by enabling and connecting the participants in an eco-system to function as one whole.
The most important element for successful business integration is the right design from the beginning. All too often integrations are constructed in an approach that makes it difficult to change the design. Poor design choices can result in a system that is difficult to maintain and operate, as well as costing a lot of money.
Traditionally, the majority of business integrations have been focused on connecting IT and software systems, for example, ERP and CRM solutions. This kind of integration, also known as application integration, is typically accomplished using APIs or other tools to facilitate connectivity between systems. These types of integrations tend to be restricted in scope and require a dedicated technical management team in the field to manage and maintain.
The most important factor in modern business integration success is a holistic approach that focuses primarily on the integration of business services. This is accomplished by identifying the business services required and mapping them onto the appropriate technology. It also involves the creation of the required components for integration, including connectors, data mappings, and a robust testing and deployment process within a controlled environment. Following that, a monitoring process and optimization process is put into place to ensure the business integration is able to meet its goals.
