The short answer
Connect systems around shared business journeys and master data—not point-to-point interfaces. Every system needs a clear role, and every core data object needs an owner and trusted source.
Define system boundaries
Define where customer, contract, product or asset, invoice, and project data originate. Do not let two systems own the same record without explicit synchronization and accountability rules.
Design journeys before APIs
Map the state transition from opportunity to contract to delivery to invoice or collection. Then APIs, events, and exceptions become architectural decisions with operating context.
Make data and governance part of integration
Successful integration needs quality standards, error monitoring, and escalation paths. Without them, interfaces become a new source of conflicting reports.
The role of a Digital Operating Platform
A platform is not necessarily one product. It is a design layer connecting modules, processes, data, and decision views into an understandable operating experience.