The Record

The best of enterprise technology on the Microsoft Platform

Winter 2017

Editor: Lindsay James
Executive Editor: Andy Clayton-Smith

The Winter 2017 issue of The Record is out now and available to download free of charge in digital format. Visit the magazine page to read the magazine online, or to download a copy to your device.

In this issue’s cover story, we consider the systems and solutions from Microsoft and its partners that are enabling businesses to advance on their digital transformation journeys and, as a result, realise unprecedented levels of operational efficiency. Julia Atalla, a senior director in Microsoft’s Surface team, leads the piece, supported by partners including DXC, GCI, Mercato Solutions and PGi.

In our communications and media section, Lorenzo Zanni, lead analyst at IABM, joins Microsoft’s Tony Emerson to discuss the digital transformation of the media industry. And in the financial services section, we discover how insurers are leveraging new technologies to gain insights from their data and transform their business for the digital age.

Meanwhile, in our manufacturing feature we find out how Microsoft’s portfolio of big compute solutions are allowing enterprises to shift towards digital, enabling new levels of efficiency and effectiveness. And don’t miss our public sector feature, where Microsoft’s Toni Townes-Whitley explains how we should be preparing children for the workplace of the future.

Also in this issue, Microsoft’s Pinar Salk tells us how technologies like analytics and machine learning are helping retailers to create the personalised and seamless shopping experience their customers expect. Plus, there’s the usual mix of news, case studies, interviews and executive insight from across the Microsoft partner network.

There’s plenty more too – enjoy the issue!

Magazine highlights

Fostering new ideas

The tech that’s boosting operational efficiency

Marketwatch

The latest news from Microsoft and its partners

Embracing cultural change

How GCI is helping its customers to successfully transform

Leading the start-up revolution

A behind-the-scenes look at three Microsoft Innovation Centers

Managing complex security risks

DXC Technology’s Paul Timmins explains why protection is crucial

A winning combination

The value of Box using Microsoft Azure

Turn technical objectives into business value

Blockchains or databases?

Faisal Siddiqi and JP Morgenthal from DXC Technology on why blockchain isn’t always best

The growing need for security intelligence

Digital transformation or digital transition?

Simon O’Carroll from Mercato Solutions says it’s important to know the difference

Industry highlights

Communications and Media

There was an air of excitement at the recent Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona. The promise of 5G is providing a valuable opportunity for telco firms across the globe to make their mark and establish themselves as frontrunners.

Microsoft is committed to help. In the pages that follow you can discover how the flexibility of Azure, teamed with our Cognitive Services Lab, is providing a backbone for companies to leverage AI, process big data, improve operations and increase revenue.

Download a PDF of the Communications and Media services section of the Autumn 2017 issue of The Record magazine.

Rich media on demand

How media companies need to adapt in order to prosper

A traditional media survival guide

Drew Hilles from Veritone on the impact of the digital revolution

Seizing the opportunity

Avid’s Tom Cordiner outlines the media tools that are proving to be gamechanging

Financial Services

While the financial services industry has become familiar with the need to adapt and change, the new operating landscape that is being created by Europe’s Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) and the UK’s Open Banking initiative is undoubtedly taking traditional banks out of their comfort zone.

Success requires a flexible approach – one that can only be achieved through modern cloud technologies. Join us in the following pages to explore the work we’re doing to make life that little bit easier for companies bearing the brunt of the new reforms.

Janet Lewis is the newly appointed vice president for the Financial Services Industry at Microsoft and joins The Record’s editorial advisory board.

Download a PDF of the Financial services section of the Autumn 2017 issue of The Record magazine.

The modern insurer

How insurance companies can advance in the digital age

Connecting the customer experience

Heloise Rossouw from Willis Towers Watson explains the new gold standard for customer service

The changing face of banking

Multichannel success is imperative, says Wim Geukens from Veripark

Manufacturing and Resources

The ability to innovate quickly and effectively has become a prerequisite for manufacturing companies of all shapes and sizes. Simulation-driven design processes is key to reducing time to market, enabling these companies to analyse and simulate complex high-fidelity models without having to build, manage or maintain capital-intensive infrastructure.

In the following pages we take a look at this in more detail and discover how Microsoft’s portfolio of big compute solutions are allowing manufacturers to shift towards digital, and enabling companies to reach new levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

Download a PDF of the manufacturing section of the Winter 2017 issue of The Record magazine.

Understanding big compute

The challenges and opportunities presented to manufacturers

Evolving from lean to agile manufacturing

Mark Hermans from DXC Technology explains how to make the transition

Authentic modern design

Kevin Berni from Dassault Systèmes gives an overview of SOLIDWORKS 2018

Public Sector

The world of work is evolving – and fast. The rise of new technologies such as AI, big data, 3D printing and blockchain are challenging the way industries operate and transforming roles. As a result, the latest research suggests that 65% of future jobs don’t even exist yet.

For educators this presents a significant challenge: how can we prepare our children for an unknown future? In the pages that follow we explore this question in depth and discover how, with simple and accessible apps like OneNote and Microsoft Teams in Office 365 for Education, classrooms have access to a world of options to create and collaborate.

Download a PDF of the Public Sector services section of the Winter 2017 issue of The Record magazine.

Preparing for the modern workplace

Toni Townes-Whitley explains how educators can prepare students for the world of work

Teaching good data habits

Alyssa Putzer from Metafile Information Systems on the importance of document management

Gamechanging technology

Mike Ehlenberger from Actiontec outlines the solutions transforming teaching

Retail and Hospitality

How a retailer delivers for its customers is becoming as important as what it delivers. Successful retailers are no longer just the ones who sell the latest must-have item – they’re the ones that can do this while creating a personal customer experience and offering a unified and continuous shopping journey across all channels.

In the pages that follow, we find out how retail organisations can earn customers’ trust and loyalty by listening and being relevant at their point of need. We discover the role of machine learning and automated analytics and find out how Microsoft and its partners are enabling change.

Download a PDF of the Retail and Hospitality services section of the Winter 2017 issue of The Record magazine.