In today's fast-paced work environment, digital enablement tools are like superheroes, bringing agility and speed to everyday tasks. These tools, which include various software and apps, empower us to work smarter and faster. The recently concluded Digital Enablement Star Awards recognised individuals among us who have made a positive impact on the NUS community by inspiring and encouraging the adoption of these tools into their business processes.
During the pandemic years, when social distancing became the norm, getting everyone on the same page in virtual meeting settings proved to be an uphill challenge. Low Zhiqi from College of Design and Engineering, winner of the DE Influencer award, addressed this challenge by turning to Miro. Miro is a digital “whiteboard” platform designed to facilitate remote team communication and collaboration. Zhiqi’s confidence in Miro grew as she received positive feedback, "This is so helpful! Can I grab a screenshot?" and "Where can I learn more?". Her influence expanded even more when she shared her expertise at the "Sharing @EXCITE" event in June 2022. This is a testament that even small steps can make a big impact in the world of digital enablement. Besides Miro, Zhiqi's digital toolkit included MS Bookings, Power Automate, and Power Apps, and these all contributed to her journey of digital empowerment which started at the NUS Agility Office (formerly OETU).
Low Zhiqi, winner of the DE Influencer award, receiving the award from the Deputy President of Administration, Mr Clarence Ti
Danny Ling from NUS Business School, the winner of the DE Superstar award, shares a similar strategy to digital enablement. Danny’s method involved automating routine administrative tasks such as using Power Automate to generate over 600 offer letters for the Business School, resulting in time and cost savings, as well as fewer errors. One tip from Danny, “Remain persistent and let your passion for digital enablement shine through in your work!”. To the aspiring digital enablement leaders out there, Danny emphasises the importance of prioritising attitude and patience over technical expertise.
Danny Ling, winner of the DE Superstar award, receiving the award from the Deputy President of Administration, Mr Clarence Ti
Another shining example of digital enablement in action was “RiskRadar 1.0”, a horizon scanning tool created by the AnalytiRisk team, which comprised staff from Office of Risk Management & Compliance (ORMC), Office of Data and Intelligence (ODI), and NUS IT. This project won the DE Galaxy award. The tool, driven by Power BI, conducts risk scanning and identifies early warning signs of potential risks from public media sources. Users would be apprised of the current and immediate challenges and be able to foresee potential risks and opportunities. The tool proved its effectiveness by predicting a high risk of haze in the third quarter, alerting the University Campus Infrastructure (UCI) team to initiate preparations ahead of time for the campus. The other instance was spotting potential heightened talent risks, leading Office of Human Resource (OHR) to look into projects addressing talent and mindset misalignment risk. The seven-member interdisciplinary project team attributed their success to open communication and mutual learning which were facilitated by regular meetings that ensured alignment with the project objectives. The team recounted on their challenges that included defining data inputs for RiskRadar and gaining stakeholder buy-in for the Power BI dashboard. Their commitment won the stakeholders over through proactive outreach such as live demonstrations and sharing sessions during department meetings. The team also actively sought feedback to enhance the dashboard’s design and usability. These efforts led to a positive response and increased adoption.
Team AnalytiRisk, winner of the DE Galaxy award, (L-R) Chuah Jin Wei, Hazel Mak, Han He, Quek Jing Hao, Alex Kuan receiving the award from NUS President, Professor Tan Eng Chye
These digital enablement champions prove that simple tools can help to solve complex problems and at the same time, promote a culture of nurturing citizen developers. Their journeys emphasise the importance of clear communication and problem-solving, inspiring others to embrace digital changes and advancements. For those of us looking to expand our digital toolkit, consider exploring additional digital enablement tools available at https://ss.nus.edu.sg/digital-enablement/. The digital landscape is continually evolving, so let us continue to be agile and adopt a lifelong learning mindset!
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