Many organisations continue to go through a process of digital transformation – but can we more clearly define the principle measure of success for this strategy — Too often for many organisations the process stalls at the “file-based” stage. Spreadsheets, shapefiles, and local data silos persist after the move to cloud-based systems has taken place because although the platform on which data is stored is now a cloud server the continual use of file based storage continues to limit distribution of information. This is because real transformation comes not from the cloud itself, but from structured, version-controlled, and web-accessible enterprise databases.
Overall Strategy : Move from Network Accessible Digital Single Files to Web Accessible Enterprise Grade Database Workflows. At the heart of a reliable digital infrastructure lies databases. Unlike flat files, relational databases ensure data integrity through enterprise grade security and version control. This improves the following.
Web-Enabled Editable Databases accessible through Browser-Based Interfaces. Once data is stored in relational databases, the next step is to make them accessible to users through secure, web-based interfaces. This can be done using a wide range of established and well-supported technologies and organisations have the option of running these in parallel.
These interfaces allow staff to edit records, maintain registers, update project systems, and manage operational datasets directly using familiar web forms and tables, rather than passing around emailed spreadsheets or local files.
The essential point is that the database remains authoritative, while the web interface provides controlled, permission-based access.
This approach brings multiple organisational benefits:
For some organisations, this might take the form of customised dashboards or record-management forms. For others, it may use platforms such as Adminer, phpMyAdmin, pgAdmin in hosted mode, or bespoke internal systems and low-code form builders.
The key outcome is that data becomes centrally held, centrally maintained, and accessible in a structured way through the browser — allowing non-technical staff to work confidently with shared information.
Recommended Implementation Order
Stage 1 – Provide simple web hosting management access for users – for example cPanel: Software that allows delegation of Simple Web Management Tasks to Domain Users
cPanel is a platform (think administration dashboard panel) known in the trade as a web hosting manager – Web Hosting Management software is now so good that it provides a simple Web administration layer that is consistent across many cloud providers and which is learnable by most intelligent domain users. Importantly it allows domain users to have some agency over the management of simple tasks related to their infrastructure and applications. Many small to medium organisations rely on cPanel hosting environments to create applications and deploy databases. This allows applications and databases to be hosted and moved to other cloud providers either on cPanel or on a number of alternative Web Hosting Management Software alternatives. Knowledge of web hosting manager allows users to.
Here I give cpanel as an example but similar alternatives such as Plesk and DirectAdmin exist for which there are hundreds of cloud providers..
Stage 2 – WordPress: Content Management Software perfect for Procedure Documentation or Public Outreach
WordPress serves as a communication front-end in a digitally transformed organisation. WordPress as a content management system actually sits on top of a relational database, usually MySQL or Mariadb. It functions as a reliable publishing and engagement platform — ideal for sharing procedural notes, updates, and policy information with staff, partners, or the public seamlessly handling version control.
Running typically on MySQL or MariaDB, WordPress offers a straightforward content management system that integrates easily into standard web hosting environments. Using cPanel, Plesk, or equivalent systems means routine administrative tasks — backups, SSL certificates, plugin updates — are simple and repeatable.
In this structure, WordPress becomes the information delivery layer: the digital noticeboard where well-governed, database-backed systems meet accessible public communication.
Stage 3 – Vibe Coding : Building lightweight task-specific browser tools to reduce dependency on desktop utilities and local IT
By default cPanel will publish any file named index.html placed in the server directory named the same as the domain or sub-domain and depending on how you decide to setup cpanel you may have unlimited ability to setup sub domains which means unlimited potential applications.
Experiment with your favourite AI software and asking it to write a simple html / javascript and css index.html file that can be used to merge pdf documents. Take this file and using cPanel place it on the server within the directory relating to your domain or sub domain. On any computer in the world now navigate to the domain url and hey presto that application is available. Javascript runs in the browser of the client machine so there is no issue with resources beyond the initial hit.
Combine 2 PDF Vibe Coding Example
Stage 4 – Postgres – Free Enterprise Database Provision
Postgres has some of the best tooling for spatial data – a characterisitic particularly important for professions dealing with the built environment. Installation of postgres is easy and free but setting up web dashboards is a slightly more advanced topic. Generally the setup is harder than administration so I recommend you seek help with this process. Your IT section may wish to separate the server provision for this.
Stage 5 – GeoServer: Sharing Maps and Spatial Layers
Geoserver is an open source application designed to help districute spatial datasets, GeoServer adds a powerful visual layer. Again this is more advanced topic and again the initial installation and configuration is complex so please seek assistance before moving forward. Connected to the same PostgreSQL database, it serves data via WMS, WFS, or WMTS — industry-standard web mapping protocols.
This means:
Your GIS teams maintain a single authoritative dataset.
Users can access maps in QGIS, MapLibre, or web apps without downloads.
Styling and layers can be managed centrally and published instantly.
Together, the database and map services form a robust data fabric where both tabular and spatial information are web-ready, discoverable, and always live.
Stage 6 – Low Coding Tools – Build your own simple CRUD database systems and publish to your cpanel
Up until now most of the suggestions have been largely open source. Tools that create Low Code CRUD applications tend not to be free and at this point you may wish to have a budget. Again this is a slightly more complicated topic as although usually using the tools is easy creating and configuring the environment to which you publish these and ensuring you can connect to the requisit databases is more advanced.
Succession, Reliability and the Value of Proven Technology
A key underpinning of this articles focus is succession and reliability — in other words, using technologies that are already widely adopted, thoroughly tested, and backed by large user communities.
WordPress powers around 43% of all websites globally, while MySQL and MariaDB form the backbone of millions of web applications. PostgreSQL is consistently ranked among the top three database engines worldwide and is widely used in enterprise, public sector, GIS and high-reliability systems. Those databases are open source and free to install. Additionally your organisation already probably has SQL Server and Oracle that can link into bespoke web user interfaces in parallel to the systems already in place.
Major hosting providers report uptimes above 99.9% for WordPress and MySQL-based environments, and PostgreSQL is known for its strong concurrency management, transactional integrity, and failover capabilities.
By choosing these well-established platforms, organisations reduce risk, ensure continuity of knowledge, and make long-term system maintenance predictable and affordable.
A Sustainable Digital Ecosystem
The combination of a relational database, browser-based data editing, GeoServer for spatial publication, cPanel for hosting administration, and WordPress for public communication and procedure documentation provides a sustainable, transparent, and maintainable model for digital transformation.
This stack enables enterprise-level data management without enterprise-level costs, while ensuring that: