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Future Thinking – Digitalisation

Short thoughts on what Digitialisation means at a personal and business level

Smart city and engineering concept.

This afternon I have been asked to record a short trailer for a webinar series I am supporting in my role as Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Hull. The series, which will be launched on 7 March, is on Future Thinking, which is something I have written and talked about often.

Two questions have been posed.

1) What does Digitalisation mean to you?

2) What does Digitalisation mean to SME‘s? (is it affordable and sustainable for smaller enterprises?)

This is today’s thinking:

What does Digitalisation mean to you?

For me it’s about doing things in the digital domain instead of the physical domain.

I dislike that the particulars of my physical location constrain what I can do or be.

This is true at all levels – I want to be able to interact with my car, my lights, my music collection, without having to leave my comfy chair. I want to create and maintain relationships with the people I care about regardless of where they are in the world. I want to interact with people who share my values, interests, skills and outlook where ever they are, and not be constrained by cost or time to those within a few kilometres of where I am.

“I dislike that the particulars of my physical location constrain what I can do or be.”

It’s about liberating ourselves from our physical condition.

What does Digitalisation mean to SME’s? Is it affordable and sustainable for smaller enterprises?

The same principles apply for businesses, large or small. There are added dimensions however:

  • Digitalisation can replace capital cost with ongoing subscriptions – i.e. distributed costs that can be paid out of ongoing revenue
  • It can provide competitive advantage, providing either differentiation or providing access to markets, channels and buyers that would otherwise be impossible
  • It rewards agility and flexibility. Innovation can happen at a higher rate
  • It delivers efficiencies and productivity gains

But, there is a cost. And it’s less a financial cost than one of understanding, awareness and a need to constantly learn, adapt and anticipate what’s coming; knowing that your competitors are doing the same.

It’s more than scanning documents

“There are social and ethical considerations as well as economic ones.”

There is a lot more depth to this discussion and many examples, ranging from the well-worn path of replacing paper with globally accessible, secure and efficient digital copies, all the way through to:

  •  remote working (and how to build teams that thrive in that environment),
  • digital twins (building accurate simulacra of physical processes, buildings, machines etc.)
  • our relationships with AI (creating digital people simulacra)

There are social and ethical considerations as well as economic ones.

Digitalisation has been happening for half a century, it is accelerating, it brings great power, opportunity and great risk for us all, at every level. We will see it; our children will live it.

With great power comes great responsibility.

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By Simon

Simon Hudson is an entrepreneur and health sector specialist. He formed Cloud2 in 2008 following a rich career in the international medical device industry and the IT industry. Simon’s background encompasses quality assurance, medical device development, international training, business intelligence and international marketing and health related information and technology.

Simon’s career has spanned both the UK and the international health industry, with roles that have included quality system auditing, medical device development, international training (advanced wound management) and international marketing. In 2000 he co-founded a software-based Clinical Outcomes measurement start-up in the US. Upon joining ioko in 2004 he created the Carelink division and, as General Manager, drove it to become a multi-million pound business in its own right.
In 2008, Simon founded Cloud2 in response to a need for a new way of delivering successful projects based on Microsoft SharePoint. This created the first commercial ‘Intranet in a Box’ solution and kickstarted a new industry. He exited that business in 2019, which has continued to grow as a leading provider of Power BI and analytics solutions.

In 2016, he co-founded Kinata Ltd. to enable effective Advice and Guidance in the NHS and is currently guiding the business beyond its NHS roots to address needs in Her Majesty’s Prisons and in Australasia.

In 2021, Simon founded Novia Works Ltd.

In 2021 he was invited to become Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Hull.

In 2022 he was recognised as a Microsoft MVP.

In 2025 he founded Sustainable Ferriby CIC, a community energy not-for-profit to develop energy generation, energy & carbon reduction, and broader sustainability & NetZero projects in the West Hull villages.

Simon has had articles and editorials published in a variety of technology, knowledge management, clinical benchmarking and health journals, including being a regular contributor to PC Pro, as well as a presenter at conferences. He publishes a blog on areas of interest at noviaworks.co.uk. He is a co-facilitator of the M365 North User Group. He is a lead author and facilitator on the Maturity Model for Microsoft 365. He is the author of two patents relating to medical devices. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physical Science and a PGCE in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Hull.

Simon is passionate about rather too many things, including science, music (he plays guitar and octave mandola), skiing, classic cars, narrowboats, the health sector, sustainability, information technology and, by no means least, his family.

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