Why Procurement Can’t Have Its Head in the Cloud Anymore
Cloud computing is set to dominate every aspect of our personal and professional lives. So why do we still understand so little about it?
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Download ‘Parting the Clouds‘, Smart by GEP’s latest whitepaper, to understand the difference between Cloud Solutions and SaaS Software.
The world’s biggest search engine provides a great window into human psychology, at least of those humans that it’s algorithms decide are sufficiently similar to oneself.
Try it, it’s fun.
Today, if I type “how” it immediately offers me “how…to roast pumpkin seeds”. Interesting if not immediately an issue.
“Should” suggests “Should…I text him?” Oh, the angst of so many web users! The answer is, of course, no. But will that stop you texting? Of course not.
And “Did” rather disturbingly suggests “Did the killer clown purge happen?”
I’m not sure whatever happen to incredulity and scepticism but people will literally believe anything these days, it seems. And, apparently, the clowns are coming to get us all.
Cloud Computing – Why…?
As so often happens, all of that came about because I got side-tracked while typing another question into my search bar, “Cloud computing, why…”
I was intending to research why a cloud was first adopted as the symbol for the distributed computing concept as opposed to, say a web. But instead I was offered, “Cloud Computing, why…”:
- do we need it?
- use it?
- it matters?
- is it important?
These are all equally fascinating questions, and clearly asked sufficiently frequently to reach the top of the suggestions list.
Like so many rapid developments in technology such fundamental questions tend to get over-ridden by the pace of change and adoption.
Do we need it? It’s a bit late in the day to ask that question when increasingly we have no choice.
Why use it? Same answer, perhaps.
It matters because virtually every aspect of our lives is in some way connected to it and that in itself answers the fourth question.
Before the most basic of questions can be even asked, the offered answers already indicate some kind of fait accompli.
An even more basic question, that begins “Cloud computing what…” tellingly generates as its top two suggestions:
- Cloud computing what…is it? (naturally); and
- Cloud computing what…accountants need to know
Well, I wasn’t expecting that.
Cloud Computing – What Procurement Should Know
But it is perhaps an indication of where we are in this particular technology revolution. Cloud computing is set to dominate every aspect of our interaction with the world and traditional ways of doing business are being shaken up and transformed before we can even get satisfactory answers to the most basic of questions.
In our world of procurement the future seems certainly to be in the cloud. All the software vendors, like ourselves are offering cloud solutions.
But does that mean procurement professionals know everything they need to know about what that means? Is it even relevant? Should you care whether your software is in the cloud or not? Does it matter, as long as it works?
In principal you shouldn’t have to worry about any of it. But when it comes to making a decision, it’s probably best to be informed.
Cloud, it turns out, is very loosely defined and when selecting a “cloud” solution it’s important to know what you’re actually going to get. Without a doubt the most important factor is what the software can do for you in delivering maximum value to the organisation. But just as important is knowing what questions to ask to find the best solution for you.
After all, if the internet is to be believed at face value we’re about to enter a new phase dominated by an even more terrifying technology. Clown computing anyone?
Do you know there was a difference between Cloud solutions and Software-as-a-Service? With all the Cloud technology available, sometimes it’s hard to keep track.
Download Smart by GEP‘s latest whitepaper, ‘Parting the Clouds‘ to find out all you need to know.
