Pathway to Improvement for Silver
Achieving Silver-level maturity signifies a meaningful progression in your organisation’s digital and cybersecurity capabilities. This page provides a high-level guide to interpreting your assessment results and outlines general improvement actions by architecture area. Silver-level readiness focuses on measurable outcomes, operational efficiency, and proactive compliance practices.
Using the Assessment Report for Improvement
The Digital Pillar Assessment Tool provides:
Detailed Improvement Actions: Specific guidance tailored to each question in the assessment.
Targeted Opportunities: Observations and pathways to enhance operational efficiency and compliance.
Customised Action Plan: A summary of actions to align your organisation’s current state with Silver-level requirements.
Use the insights from the report to prioritise actions that address key gaps while laying the groundwork for sustained maturity and readiness for Gold.
General Improvement Strategies by Architecture Area
1. Business Architecture
Focus: Driving measurable strategic outcomes, process automation, and advanced compliance.
Digital Strategy: Develop a structured digital strategy that links initiatives to measurable objectives, such as cost reduction and client satisfaction. Engage leadership to ensure alignment with operational goals.
Processes: Automate key business processes, such as procurement or customer service, to improve efficiency and reduce manual tasks. Establish KPIs to monitor progress and refine workflows.
People and Organisation: Provide structured digital skills training tailored to employee roles. Incorporate regular updates and advanced topics, such as data analytics or cybersecurity, to enhance competencies.
Compliance: Implement a proactive process to monitor regulatory changes and adapt operational practices accordingly. Document updates to policies and procedures to demonstrate compliance readiness.
2. Data Architecture
Focus: Advancing data security, governance, and quality management.
Data Management: Transition to automated backup systems with defined recovery protocols. Regularly test systems to ensure data availability during disruptions.
Data Governance: Establish clear policies for data retention, usage, and privacy. Train staff on adherence to these policies and periodically review practices for alignment with regulatory requirements.
Data Quality: Implement regular data validation processes to ensure critical data accuracy. Use advanced tools to detect and correct inconsistencies, minimising operational risks.
3. Application Architecture
Focus: Integrating and managing applications for seamless workflows and improved outcomes.
Application Integration: Integrate core applications, such as ERP and CRM, to enable seamless workflows. Focus on reducing manual tasks and improving operational efficiency.
Application Selection: Develop a structured evaluation process for selecting applications that align with business needs, integration potential, and user requirements. Engage stakeholders in the decision-making process.
4. Technology Architecture
Focus: Ensuring scalable, reliable, and secure infrastructure to support operations.
Scalability and Performance: Invest in scalable solutions, such as cloud services or load balancing, to maintain consistent performance during high-demand periods. Periodically test systems to ensure they meet business needs.
Cloud Services: Use secure cloud platforms for critical operations, with documented recovery mechanisms tested regularly to confirm reliability.
Reliability and Uptime: Implement proactive monitoring systems to maintain at least 98% uptime for critical infrastructure. Establish clear processes for resolving issues swiftly to minimise disruptions.
5. Security Architecture
Focus: Strengthening monitoring, response, and risk management practices.
Cybersecurity Controls: Implement advanced monitoring systems to detect and respond to potential threats. Ensure all incidents are logged and analysed to improve your security posture.
Incident Response: Regularly review and test incident response plans. Incorporate lessons learned from tests or real incidents to drive continuous improvement.
Access Control: Conduct periodic reviews of access permissions to ensure alignment with operational roles. Address discrepancies proactively and integrate automated monitoring systems where possible.
Risk Management: Establish annual digital risk assessments for critical third-party vendors. Develop clear action plans to address vulnerabilities and integrate security requirements into vendor contracts.
Additional Resources
Leverage tools and templates from the Templates and Tools section of the Knowledge Base to support your improvement efforts:
Silver Improvement Plan Template: Structured steps, responsibilities, and tracking for Silver-level readiness.
Stakeholder Engagement Guide: Align key players with your improvement initiatives to maximise impact.
By following these pathways, organisations can strengthen their Silver-level compliance and operational performance while building a solid foundation for Gold-level maturity.
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