Collaboration architecture meets corporate strategy
Collaboration architecture and strategy consulting as well as workplace and workspace transformation and adoption are our core business.
We act as the client’s advocate dealing with manufacturers and service providers. Our clients see us as a strategic and trusted advisor.
Ideally, we get involved in the client’s project at an early stage, i.e. BEFORE the decision in favour of a manufacturer is made. This enables us to show the client the most efficient transformation path – architecturally, technically and commercially and in the context of the initial state and requirements.
In the end, our consulting has never resulted in actual costs to our clients, since the return on investment of our consulting services is several times greater than any expenses incurred.
Our services are individually adapted to our client’s needs and the respective time of entering the project. Ideally, we get involved before strategic decisions are made and accompany the client throughout the entire transformation period up to the handover to operations.
Our services include, but do not stop at:
- Analysis and strategy consulting,
- Architecture blueprint and transformation planning,
- Sourcing and recommendation/selection of vendor(s),
- Architecture Correlated Business Case and Total Cost of Ownership calculation, and
- Architecture Management, Transformation and Adoption Management.
When joining already running projects that are on the verge of going the wrong way or where operational quality is in question, we audit vendors, service providers and integrators on architecture, design and quality of implementation and operation.
Collaboration Strategy and Concept Consulting
Our As-Is, requirements and strategy analyses are carried out in the context of the entire enterprise IT architecture. For this, the As-Is architecture and requirements are documented in detail.
One or more potential target architectures are defined and visualised. Besides the collaboration backend architecture (on-prem, hybrid or cloud-based) we also consider the potential working environment, i.e. the workplace and workspace architecture. All architecture considerations are then summarised in a blueprint that includes collaboration architecture, workplace and workspace.
Any concepts developed (architecture, workplace and workspace) are implemented as prototypes in our own R&D labs to thoroughly test them in advance.
The next step is to plan, design and implement proof of concepts on a small scale, followed by pilots with larger user groups.
Starting from the As-Is-state, transformation and migration paths are shown and visually depicted for all potential target architectures.
On request, we can prepare a business case and a total cost of ownership calculation for each transformation path in order to be able to make informed decisions regarding manufacturers and service providers.
During the implementation of transformation projects, we take on transformation and adoption management in addition to project management and form an architecture management office. We also ensure the quality of the implementation and testing services of the various manufacturers, service providers and system integrators.
When joining projects in progress that are on the verge of going the wrong way or where operational quality is in question, we conduct audits to check whether the manufacturers, service providers and system integrators have worked according to best practice and design guides and why certain implementations are causing problems.
Strategic decisions for a collaboration platform must be based on solid decision-making principles.
Strategic decisions, i.e. for a future-proof architecture of the collaboration platform and workplaces/workspaces, must be based on holistic considerations in the context of the client company.
Today, and this is also true outside of pandemic times, the competitiveness of a company depends more and more on corporate communication.
Millions in potential savings from collaboration transformations are possible by applying the right strategy, both in SMEs and in global companies with more than 100.000 workplaces.
There are significant cost differences between the worst and best transformation path, which only becomes transparent by correlating architectural and commercial parameters.
Through “Architecture Correlated Business Case and Total Cost of Ownership considerations”, 2-to 3-digit million amounts for large global corporations and 5- and 6-digit amounts for medium-sized companies transpire between suboptimal strategy and the ideal transformation path.
The average return of investment factor of our strategy consulting services, related to the difference between the cheapest and most expensive transformation path, is at least 150 times the cost of our consulting.