Not all system integrations are created equal
May 1, 2024
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, “system integration” can sound uncomfortably technical, even jargon-y. But all it really describes is how two different programs (like your HR system and your dashcams) can talk to each other and share information. And in a lot of cases that can be extremely helpful by making some of your operations more efficient. But is it always helpful, or even a good idea? In a recent webinar, Rick Duchalski sat down with Selase Hotsonyame and Mark Murrell to talk about system integrations—why it’s a buzzword in the industry, what you should look for in an effective integration, and where the hidden dangers are.
Two parts
Murrell points out that there are two significant parts to any integration—one that people often focus on, and a second, more important one that people seem to spend less time thinking about. The first one is the basic communication between two systems—the basic matter of translating and communicating with each other. This is simply the question of whether your dashcam system can transfer information to (for example) your training system in a way that that training system can understand and use it.
But the second part is the utility issue—have you figured out how that communication produces something meaningful and useful for the user? Is it actually solving a business need I have?
Capability versus need
Just because an integration can do something for you, that doesn’t always mean it will make your life easier. For example, suppose your company has developed a way of doing something manually (assigning and tracking training assignments, for example). In that case, you may not want to immediately pivot to automation if you’re not ready for it. Sure, your new dashcam system can automatically trigger remedial training based on events, but it might be that your safety manager has developed a method of personally interacting, intervening and assigning new training based on what he sees when he actually talks to the driver. Removing that tool from his toolbox just because the new integrated systems can do it might actually make his job harder (or make him less efficient, ironically).
So, in some cases, taking advantage of an integration may not get you a net benefit if the new functionality doesn’t properly align with the processes you already have in place. (Note: sometimes the processes you have may be out of date/antiquated, and pivoting to a new way of doing things can legitimately help—the point is that this isn’t always the case.)
Privacy and Security
When it comes to security concerns, Hotsonyame points out that there are really two different problems. The first is a question of what is happening to the data being shared across systems--what are they doing with the information, what do they have access to, and do you want that?
For example, if an integration partner is pulling driver records, sometimes they are inefficient and pull all sorts of extra data that they don’t need. Still, they are pulling it anyway because they didn’t bother to tease out what they did and didn’t need from the beginning.
Why is that a problem? If you have a data retention policy (where you delete employee data after a certain period), but the integration company doesn’t, all that information you think you are eliminating is continuing to live on somewhere else. There are companies whose main focus is data mining and data brokering, so it’s important that you’re aware of the intentions of any new integration partner you might be looking at.
Still further, when it comes to security, any time you are moving information from one system to another, you risk your data being exposed if security protocols aren’t tight. Even if all the partners involved in the integration are honest brokers (they agree with you on how the data should be shared, stored and deleted), the risk of hackers looking for ways to exploit weaknesses in the integration should be cause for concern.
What should you do?
So what should you do with all of this information? Here are some things to think about if you are thinking about integrating some of your systems (or you are approached by a vendor who is suggesting it might be beneficial):
- Be clear on value
Just because two systems can be integrated doesn’t mean it will gain you a benefit. When you clear away all the technical jargon in the proposal, spell out the terms of the new capability in terms of what new value it can bring you, or what current headache it actually solves. If that can’t be articulated, it may not be something you need (or need right now).
- Integration to automation
This one is a subset of the previous point: integration is a step toward automating some process or set of processes, so be sure to figure out if automating that process will really help. It might be the case that, for now, doing it manually is still giving you a lot of benefits or allowing your people to do their jobs with more care or precision.
- What are they doing with my data?
There are a lot of companies out there that are looking for ways to monetize other people’s data. If you are looking at sharing your drivers’ information with another company with an integration, find out their policies on data protection and use, and make sure what they are going to do with it aligns with how you want that information treated.
- Prepare for a new task
Suppose your people’s data is now showing up in multiple places. In that case, you are going to have to take on some data management tasks—because now you have to keep track of where everyone is within each of the systems; if you’re not paying attention, one person’s old system ID might get applied to a new person in the integrated system, and now you have potential data and account confusion. Getting up to speed on managing the new system on an ongoing basis may not be something you planned for, but you’ll need to keep an eye on it if you want to continue to realize the potential efficiency gains you were looking for in the first place.
- Security
Even if your new partners are honest players, any sharing of information across systems comes with risks from bad actors. Make sure your cybersecurity protocols (and training) are up to date, and verify that your new partners are taking it as seriously as you are. And don’t be afraid to call in a consultant for an evaluation if you’re not sure how secure you are.
System integrations can absolutely be a benefit to your enterprise—but just because two of your systems can integrate, that doesn’t mean the new functionality will be what you need. Getting clear on your goals, your problems, your needs and your concerns will allow you to have honest and thorough conversations with those who are proposing an integration for you and help you decide if that next move is the right one, right now.