NOVEMBER 2023CIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM9HARMONY IN MOTION - THE BALLET OF TECHNOLOGYcreate a mesmerising symphony of movement - just like the interconnected systems in IT architecture. IT architecture should combine the grace of a ballet, culminating in elevating the story we want to tell.Let me exemplify this by looking at hospitality technology from a ballet perspective.What story do we want to tell in hospitality? Where do we want to go?We want to create great experiences. We want our guests to thrive when they stay with us when they think about us, and we want them to come back. We want to be a pleasure to interact with. And we want the most service-oriented and solution-oriented people to interact with our guests and run the guest services.We want a seamless guest experience but also a seamless team-member experience.To achieve this, let's try to choreograph a dance of systems--a ballet of technology.The front-end and back-end systems would be the principal dancers on stage. The front-end, representing the user-facing applications, will welcome visitors (the audience) with pleasing user interfaces, effortless navigation, swift payment options and personalised experiences. Meanwhile, the back end operates as the supporting dancer, ensuring the behind-the-scenes processes, such as reservations, inventory management, accounting and billing, are flawlessly executed. Maybe we could even picture the caption of data and analytics as the orchestra? The instruments and the music they play carefully but steadily guide the dancers in their performance - keeping them alert, coordinated and on time in their performance.And then, just as a ballet dancer's performance relies on rigorous training, the IT architecture would be built on a robust and meticulous infrastructure foundation. Let's see the infrastructure as the stage; the props, the curtains, the costumes. Network systems, databases, and servers are the solid ground upon which the entire performance rests, guaranteeing uninterrupted service delivery. Advanced technology, such as cloud computing and AI-driven analytics, complements the ensemble.Like a symphony conductor directing a full orchestra, we´ll harmoniously integrate various components and send and collect data throughout the dance. For hospitality, we'll have the property management systems (PMS), customer relationship management (CRM) software, point-of-sale (POS), meeting and events (MICE), spa systems, key card systems and all other applications working in unison, synchronising their movements. They'll stitch out and dance with the web, the digital sales and payment systems and the personal systems that our guests bring in. They will dance with them and then float back through the core systems and over to accounting and analytics, always synchronised in their dataflow to create a symphony of services for guests and employees alike.And much like a ballet, the performance depends on backstage crews for costumes, sets, and lighting; an IT team supports the IT architects. Just as a well-coordinated backstage complements the ballet's enchantment, the IT Team operate diligently to maintain system security, ensure continuous uptime, and swiftly troubleshoot any technical hiccups.The grand finale of this ballet and symphony-inspired IT architecture is the creation of a remarkable guest journey. Just as ballet and symphony combine individual artistry with collective precision, the orchestrated IT systems blend seamless functionality with personalisation to create an unforgettable stay.So, the next time you find yourself architecting an IT platform, I suggest remembering the poise and artistry of ballet. Embrace the essence of ballet's meticulous planning and preparation, and you'll undoubtedly lead your systems to dance in perfect harmony, leaving your audience - be it users or spectators utterly mesmerised.This harmonious ensemble demonstrates that, when choreographed adeptly, technology is a crucial enabler of exceptional hospitality experiences, where every system plays its part in a symphony of service that resonates long after the guests have left the stage. Embrace the essence of ballet's meticulous planning and preparation, and you'll undoubtedly lead your systems to dance in perfect harmony, leaving your audience - be it uses or spectators utterly mesmerised
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