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Bimodal IT in Software Engineering

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Bimodal IT as the name suggests is the combination of two modes of IT operations. It is a framework that was coined by a leading IT research firm Gartner Inc. It is also called Gartner’s Bimodal IT framework.

Those two modes are as follows:

  1. Mode-1: (Legacy): Refers to the traditional era of working with optimized areas having well understanding which enables predictable operations with safety and accuracy.
  2. Mode-2: (Modern): Refers to the non-traditional era of working with optimized areas having uncertainty which enables innovative operations with agility and speed.

Concerning digital advancement, enterprise application, and service demand have also improved a lot, which forces organizations to adopt a separate but coherent working style that is nothing but a Bimodal IT framework. It calls two parallel tracks i.e. Exploitation and Exploration.

Bimodal Organization:

An organization is said to be a Bimodal Organization when they have two IT teams for two modes of working.

  1. One team is dedicated to looking at core systems and legacy applications, taking care of technology and applications that need attention.
  2. Another team is dedicated to looking at upcoming problems and finding and delivering new innovative solutions rapidly by using advanced tools and technology.

Which is nothing but separation and finally integration.

  1. Separate IT teams
  2. Separate Codebases
  3. Separate schedules
  4. Integrated result

Objectives of Bimodal IT:

  1. Cost-Reduction Strategy: It reduces expenses by effectively allocating resources in both ways. Mode 2 can distribute resources according to innovation goals, while Mode 1 can concentrate on cost-effective maintenance.
  2. Digital Conversion: It permits the company to implement cutting-edge development techniques and emerging technologies in Mode 2 to support digital transformation activities.
  3. Client Contentment: Increase customer satisfaction by promptly responding to changing customer needs with creative solutions while upholding the dependability of currently offered services.
  4. Adaptability and Flexibility: It provides Mode 2 the freedom to investigate and integrate new tools and frameworks in order to adapt to changing technological environments.
  5. Constant Improvement: It promotes ongoing development by taking lessons from both Mode 1 and Mode 2 projects that are successful and those that are unsuccessful.

Bimodal Strategy for Organization:

For an organization to exist in the IT market for a long time and to move ahead with proper progress, both modes are essential for the creation of substantial value and significant organizational change.

  1. Back Office: Back office strategy tends to involve a ‘System of Records’ like ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning) which is optimized for stability and reliability. It makes sure all the business operations are carried out seamlessly.
  2. Front Office: Front office strategy tends to involve a ‘System of Innovation’ which is optimized for rapid feature development. They interact with a potential client, pick the problems, and react rapidly with solutions and changing requirements.

Important Points Related to Bimodal IT Framework:

  1. Both modes require different processes and people, different tools and technology, and different business management procedures and budget plans.
  2. Changing concerning time. Accepting challenging problems, upgrading with newer technologies, and delivering innovative solutions.
  3. Achieving Digital Transformation with proper partnership between business and IT.

Advantages of Bimodal IT:

  1. Delivering new and innovative solutions with accuracy and speed.
  2. Achieving stability and agility in work.
  3. Maintain a good image of the organization.
  4. Provides organizational flexibility to meet market demand.
  5. Better alignment with business goals: Bimodal IT enables IT teams to align more closely with the business goals of the organization by providing a structured framework for delivering solutions that meet specific business needs.
  6. Faster time-to-market: With Bimodal IT, organizations can develop and deploy new solutions quickly, reducing time-to-market and enabling them to stay ahead of their competitors.
  7. Increased customer satisfaction: By providing fast and accurate solutions, Bimodal IT can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to increased revenue and growth.
  8. Improved risk management: With two modes of IT, organizations can manage risk more effectively by separating high-risk projects from low-risk ones and allocating resources accordingly.
  9. Increased collaboration: By establishing a collaborative environment between the two modes of IT, organizations can facilitate knowledge sharing, best practices, and innovation across teams, leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.

Disadvantages of Bimodal IT:

  1. Requires an organization to plan and follow a clear implementation strategy.
  2. Managing confusion between two IT teams for two modes mainly their roles and resources.
  3. Establishing a proper collaborative environment between teams of both modes. 
  4. Potential increase in costs: Maintaining two modes of IT can be more expensive than a single mode, as it requires additional resources, tools, and training.
  5. Difficulties in integration: Two modes of IT can create difficulties in integrating systems and processes, leading to potential inefficiencies and duplication of effort.
  6. Risk of skill gaps: As the two modes of IT may require different skill sets, there is a risk of skill gaps within the organization, which can lead to staffing and recruitment challenges.
  7. Cultural differences: The two modes may have different cultures, work styles, and communication methods, which can create challenges in collaboration and teamwork.
  8. Governance and compliance issues: Managing governance and compliance across two modes of IT can be challenging, as it requires different approaches to risk management, security, and regulatory compliance.

Conclusion

Bimodal IT signifies a strategic approach to software engineering and IT management that recognizes the dual nature of organizational needs. By adopting this strategy, businesses put themselves in a position to maintain their competitiveness, adjust to new developments in technology, and provide value to their stakeholders in a rapidly changing technological environment.


Last Updated : 17 Jan, 2024
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