The integration of cloud technology in companies has evolved from being a mere competitive advantage to becoming essential for ensuring market continuity. The benefits offered by cloud resources are innovative, providing unparalleled speed and efficiency compared to other equivalent technologies. However, like any new technology, there is a learning curve to achieve optimal utilization, and this curve is even more pronounced in the case of the cloud. The agility of provisioning cloud resources during implementation underscores the importance of an initial phase focused on control and governance. Without it, significant challenges such as financial and operational risks to the business may arise. How can these risks be mitigated? The answer is simple: establish a Center of Excellence (CoE). This serves as the foundational pillar for guiding the effective implementation of cloud technology, ensuring robust governance and minimizing potential negative impacts.

CoE

A Center of Excellence (CoE) is a multidisciplinary team dedicated to driving the creation and adoption of new technologies. Its main goal is to promote a culture of innovation within the company, aligned with business objectives, to achieve maximum efficiency and accelerate results. In the context of cloud technology, the Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) has been formed to provide a comprehensive governance core, addressing specific aspects of the cloud such as security, compliance, and costs.

A CoE is supported by three pillars: people, technology, and processes. These pillars provide the fundamental structure necessary to ensure a platform that incorporates these essential elements.

People

An organization is primarily composed of people who are responsible for carrying out daily tasks, delivering products to a target audience, and ensuring value generation for the business. In this context, the "People" pillar is of vital importance. Without it, no results would be possible. Technology and processes cannot sustain themselves without the active participation of people. Therefore, during the implementation of the Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE), the main focus should be on people. It is crucial to convince them that adopting new technology is beneficial and will generate significant results for all stakeholders. People need to feel a sense of ownership over the technology and processes to ensure organizational efficiency.

Technology

Technology is essentially a tool that people manipulate for specific applications, resulting in a process of "enhancement" and the creation of improved products or services for the target audience. However, all tools come with instruction manuals designed to ensure mastery of their characteristics and functionalities. Therefore, it is crucial to train people to have a thorough understanding of all necessary information, enabling them to safely and effectively extract the maximum potential from the tool. This training ensures that technology is used effectively, contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Center of Excellence in Cloud.

Processes

The way activities are conducted within an organization directly impacts its culture. Culture is essentially the way things have always been done. Modifying processes requires more than just implementing technology; it demands significant commitment from people. Therefore, it is important to implement effective processes that align as closely as possible with the company's culture.

Processes created only in theory or following standardized market approaches have a high probability of failure in their implementation. This is because they are not adjusted to meet the organization's and people's peculiarities. Adapting processes, considering the existing culture, is crucial to ensure a smooth transition and proactive acceptance from employees. This promotes effectiveness and success in operations.

This combination of fundamental elements may appear simplistic, but it is precisely at this stage that the key to implementing a Cloud Center of Excellence lies. The planning of activities should primarily focus on people, aiming to help them grasp the added value of the new technology. By directing technology training towards more efficient activities and outcomes, the adoption of new processes will bring innovative intelligence to the business. This approach not only strengthens the organization financially but also empowers it to thrive in the market, ensuring its longevity and strategic positioning in the face of ever-evolving demands. The success of the implementation depends on the synergy between people, technology, and processes, which forms the strong foundation necessary to tackle the challenges of the modern business landscape.

In future articles, we will delve into crucial areas of the Cloud Center of Excellence, including architecture, finance, cybersecurity, data, CI/CD, and regulatory compliance. Examining each aspect of these areas will provide valuable insights for optimizing operations and fostering cloud excellence.