Blueprint 4D started with a bang and never looked back. Over the course of the five days of the conference, there were hundreds of sessions from Oracle, Partners, and Customers outlining new features, updates on AI, and, most prominently, Customer Success Stories. The excellent keynote delivered by George Danner provided great insights on being future-ready and the path from linear AI to generative AI; the energy never let up.
Key Takeaways
The key takeaways were loud and clear and echoed throughout the conference. Below, we’ve outlined five of our key takeaways from the conference.
1. Oracle maintains its rolling support window for on-prem ERP
In software support, Oracle stands out for its commitment to longevity. With unwavering dedication, Oracle reconfirmed its dedication at Blueprint 4D and continues to uphold its impressive 10-year support window for JDE, PeopleSoft, and Oracle EBS. So, what does this mean for project-centric organizations? Although there is no rush to move to Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP or OCI (as identified above), our experts recommend starting your cloud strategies, sooner rather than later, by:
- Standardizing operational and project technology processes.
- Proactively upgrade your ERP technologies to the latest releases.
2. Embrace the cloud: your journey starts NOW!
More customers than ever are embarking on a cloud journey, whether in the assessing or initial delivery phases. This journey is continuous, as Oracle’s Continuous Innovation approach consistently presents opportunities to adopt new functionality and features while enhancing security. Oracle’s role in the global cloud adoption journey is pivotal and will continue to be so.
Furthermore, while contemplating your move to the cloud, our experts recommend that organizations conduct a comprehensive assessment encompassing their business processes, technology infrastructure, and alignment with the envisioned future state of the business strategy to help avoid bottlenecks, such as:
- Underestimating the complexity of a successful cloud migration
- Ineffective communication
- Ignoring Organizational Change Management (OCM) for structured adaptation
- Inadequate resource allocation
- Ambiguity clouding the path forward
- Ignoring resistance to cloud adoption
- Insufficient involvement across your departments
- Insufficient strategy
- Lack of operational direction
- Unrealistic expectations
- Treating transformation as a technology project
3. AI is not a distant concept; it’s already here.
In the age of AI, knowledge is the new currency. Oracle’s Cloud ERP applications are equipped with Generative AI functions that can be seamlessly integrated to meet your business’s specific needs. Oracle’s Cloud Apps have a clear path forward with AI, delivering everything project-centric organizations need for success with a consistent technology stack across all functions to drive continuous innovation seamlessly. This practical application of AI underscores its immediate relevance and potential for your business needs.
Though AI’s role is to automate our ability to become future-ready, we must learn from history and leverage AI to forecast future outcomes by analyzing historical data. Avoiding inaccurate projections means considering all variables for robustness and flexibility. The key to avoiding flawed projections is not to solely focus on a point prediction (singularly focused)—we must be open to all variables.
4. Change management is foundational.
Change Management is a foundational element to a successful journey to the cloud. In fact, our experts say it is a MUST for all transformational projects. A key component of Change Management is to not only determine the impacts of the future state on the organization but also consider the impacts on the organization during the migration to the cloud, as it is critical to have proper internal resources in place to be successful. Both Baylor University and the Choctaw Nations of Oklahoma presented this well in their shared session about their Change Management tactics.
Project Partners’ VP of ERP Solutions, Bruce Maghan, will be sharing his perspectives on Change Management at the upcoming OATUG Ascend Conference.
5. Oracle is committed to help.
Oracle is even more committed to assisting its customers and partners on their digital transformation journey, whether migrating from on premises to OCI or Oracle’s Cloud Applications. Innovative solutions and a focus on customer success solidify Oracle’s drive to help businesses navigate the complexities in front of them and achieve their strategic goals. Oracle continues to evolve its offerings to meet the changing needs of its customers, ensuring that they are well-equipped to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.
As one of its longest-standing partners, Project Partners is Oracle’s trusted and go-to partner for aiding project-centric organizations through their digital transformation process.
In Conclusion
The Quest Community and its many volunteers did a superb job organizing an excellent conference—so much so that we are already looking forward to next year. Thank you to all the speakers who provided quality information and the attendees who visited us at the Quistor booth!
