Zdravko Nikolovski on digitalization

We have been involved with digital transformation through our projects and products, says Zdravko Nikolovski, leader of the Netcetera team developing augmented and virtual reality applications.

Nikolovski has been with Netcetera for 14 years. He currently co-manages their Engineering Department and has worked with many technologies: NET, iOS (ObjectiveC, Swift), Android, React Native, and Unity augmented reality.

How are you involved in the digital transformation process?

We are involved in digital transformation through our projects and products. We usually make projects to order, based on the customer’s requirements and needs. And we either develop our products alone or in collaboration with customers.

Specifically, in terms of the operations that I’m involved with (our Augmented Reality Department), we make products that aren’t your standard software products. You can use them on standard devices such as a laptop, desktop, cell phone, tablets, etc., but you can also use them while wearing augmented reality glasses.

What are the benefits of digital transformation?

The benefits are huge. Consider for a moment that, although we’re living in the 21st century, there are many workplaces that continue to rely on paperwork. Everything they produce is written down on paper. Imagine you’re taking your car for a service. You go to have your car looked at once a year and you'll be given long forms with which they want you to check what needs to be looked at, whether it is all correct or incorrect. The problem here is some of those steps aren’t usually very well explained, i.e. what should be done and how. And if the member of the personnel who is supposed to help you with the car isn't experienced enough, there can be some confusion and procrastination, with you ending up wasting time, etc.

One of the products we develop is intended to help car owners with precisely that kind of problem. First, we digitalize all checklists. Next, we use augmented reality to allow service personnel to identify what checks and repairs they need to do. We offer a complete guide, a digital one containing videos and 3-D animation, to help you locate what needs checking and doing, and what further fixes are necessary.

How much corporate and private interest is there? How ready are companies and individuals to get involved in digital transformation?

We like to take our time. The process is somewhat faster overseas. There are customers, I’d say, who look ahead and are keen to be up to speed, but even they have some way to go in terms of adaptation. The fact that you know there are different demographics, that’s the main problem.

Young people are well-versed in modern devices and technologies. Then there’s a senior demographic that doesn’t feel quite as confident when it comes to those technologies – they are used to the old way of working. The benefits of applications and software like ours are enormous. They save you time and money, making people more efficient, which leads to less frustration. They’re a better solution from a security point of view, too. We are talking about software security. Everything that is done can be traced digitally, allowing you to check who did what, when they did it, etc.

What are your predictions for the future?

We’re progressing slowly but, sooner or later, the pace will have to pick up. Digital transformation must accelerate because, if we want to be fast, efficient, and modern, digital transformation will have to be embraced. We are not just talking about the government sector. We’re talking about the business sector, the private sector, etc.

This interview was published in a North Macedonian magazine Prikazna