Adopting Copilot
With the recent announcement from Microsoft that the availability of Copilot is being expanded to Users of Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Office 365 E3 and Office 365 E5, it seemed sensible to provide some pointers on how Copilot should (or could) be adopted into an organisation.
This blog is designed to provide a suggested roadmap and pointers, ensuring the seamless integration of Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Starting on the path to incorporate Copilot for Microsoft 365 into your organisation goes beyond merely purchasing the Copilot licensing. It constitutes a strategic business decision demanding thorough planning and preparation.
By harnessing the transformative capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) afforded by Copilot, the approach suggested can potentially enhance productivity and efficiency within your organisation.
Prior to delving into the details of adopting Copilot for Microsoft 365, it is essential to set the broader context of AI integration. Your organisation’s approach should be guided by two fundamental questions:-
- What objectives do you have in mind for employing AI?
- Which challenges can AI help alleviate or resolve?
Next, to streamline this journey, we suggest a pragmatic three-step approach to guide you through the process of adopting AI:-
Step 1 – Set the groundwork
Solid groundwork is key to a successful AI adoption process
Numerous organisations may encounter technical hurdles that impede the seamless integration of Copilot. Cloud adoption, technical debt, and legacy systems can serve as obstacles. Copilot for Microsoft 365 interfaces with the applications utilised by millions of Users (Microsoft 365), simultaneously leveraging corporate data stored on SharePoint, OneDrive, and your Microsoft Cloud tenant. Consequently, the adoption of these technological solutions forms the foundational basis for any Copilot implementation.
Copilot adoption will be facilitated and, indeed, enhanced by the deployment of essential technologies like:-
Plus the organisation needs to be cognisant of zero trust principles, such that Copilot Users:-
- Are explicitly confirmed through identity and endpoint management.
- Possess minimal access privileges for application and data management.
These principles establish the foundation for implementing Copilot, guaranteeing a secure and well-managed environment. Prior to moving forward, ensure to check off these groundwork requirements to pave the way for a smooth AI integration.
Step 2 – Be prepared for AI
Security – An essential component of preparedness
Digging deeper into the Be prepared for AI stage, it’s crucial to underscore the pivotal role of security. As organisations prepare to harness Copilot, envision the profound impact it can exert on operations. The capability to prompt Copilot for in-depth insights, like the purchasing patterns of the top 20 accounts and margin performance over the last two years, carries significant potential. Nevertheless, great potential also entails substantial responsibility. Without a robust security posture, the repercussions of sensitive information landing in the wrong hands can be severe.
This stage necessitates organisations to surpass conventional security measures and embrace advanced solutions. You should consider:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Defender for Endpoint – a thorough security solution offering advanced threat protection across endpoints.
- Privileged Identity Management – enhance security by implementing a privileged identity management strategy, restricting access to vital data and functions only to those who needs it.
Next you need to consider your Data Strategy. In the realm of AI, data isn’t merely a by product; it’s the lifeblood that propels the creation of meaningful insights. Without a resilient data strategy, organisations might encounter difficulties in realising the complete potential of generative AI. You need to be mindful of two key components.
- Data Management – categorise data according to its sensitivity and importance, and eliminate or archive outdated data to establish a structured foundation for Copilot to operate efficiently.
- Sensitivity Labels – assign sensitivity labels to documents, ensuring that Copilot can distinguish the significance and confidentiality of each piece of information.
These measures not only bolster security but also establish the foundation for Copilot to deliver precise and valuable insights, ensuring that the organisation is prepared to leverage the full power of AI.
Step 3 – Lead the transformation into AI
As organisations gear up to lead AI transformation using Copilot, it’s crucial to grasp the nuanced phases of adoption. Early Adopters of Copilot have uncovered a strategic approach, implemented in waves, enabling organisations to navigate their path toward an AI-powered future works.
With the groundwork done (Step 1 above), it’s now time to enthusiastically promote the AI transformation. Copilot transcends being merely an IT tool; it signifies a cultural shift that demands ‘buy-in’ across all departments, particularly involving executives and C-level leadership from high-ranking executives in charge or co-chairman over various departments within the company including CEOs, CFOs, COOs and CIOs.
This ‘buy-in’ can be achieved by implementing the following ‘waves’:-
- Technology Proof of Concept/Verifying Impact – The Technology Proof of Concept (POC) marks the initial stage where organisations assess how Copilot positively influences individual productivity, utilising tools like the Copilot Dashboard. This entails deploying Copilot in controlled environments to comprehend its capabilities and evaluate and capture its potential benefits.
- Natural Efficiencies/Spotting Opportunities – After a successful Technical Proof of Concept (POC), organisations proceed to identify business units, functional areas, or specific use cases that can benefit from streamlining with AI. This phase includes developing AI expertise within the organisation and establishing the groundwork for broader adoption.
- Revolutionary Efficiencies/Reimagining Operations – The concluding phase is characterised by a comprehensive transformation in the business operations. This becomes achievable only when the organisation wholeheartedly adopts AI. It includes reassessing workflows, processes, and business operations to align them with the capabilities and potential of Copilot.
And, remember, the above are essentially internally focused assessments/capabilities of Copilot. Buy-in can be reinforced further by expanding knowledge through graph connectors and demonstrating plugins from top SaaS providers like Co-pilot for Sales for Salesforce CRM.
Finally, I hope the above content has provided a brief overview of the factors to consider when adopting Microsoft Copilot and if you have any questions or would like to start your journey to Copilot adoption, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thanks
Richard
