Cloud Target Operating Models are a perquisite to drive Cloud Adoption!

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We often see companies moving to the cloud for the sake of not losing to the competition reversing the question “technology searches problem to solve” in stead of “business problem searches technology to be supported”.

Cloud computing can be an answer to a business question and has a lot of advantageable properties if it is aligned with a digital transformation vision. Hence Business-ICT alignment is key to make this happen. So the logical steps would be:

  1. Come with a Digital Strategy first.
  2. Translate the strategy into an Target Operating Model (TOM) for your business.
  3. Deduce a Cloud Strategy from the Digital Strategy
  4. Translate the Cloud Strategy into a Cloud Target Operating Model (CTOM)

Doing some literature research and looking into the publications of Enamul Haque, I created an overview slide deck with a focus on Business-ICT alignment for cloud computing.

You can download the deck here:

Cloud Transformation and GovernanceDownload

The content first focusses on where cloud computing fits within a digital transformation. Digital transformation is driven by a customer focus and on allowing continuous business changes. Next the following questions are answered: 1. What technologies and prediction are fitting with these drivers? 2. What are key success factors and challenges of a digital transformation? Finally the reasons behind a digital strategy are discussed.

In a second part the focus is on cloud computing. We start with the business drivers and technology drivers and next discus some benefits and challenges. In order to fit cloud as a technology within any company it must be supported by a cloud adoption framework in order to live up to its full protentional.

The final part of the slide deck focuses on the CTOM where the adoption is initiated by a Cloud Center of Expertise (CCoE) delivering the processes for Cloud Service Management and Cloud Operations Management regulated through Cloud Governance.

Cloud Target Operating Model is based on four processes:

  • Plan: Strategy to Portfolio (S2P)
  • Build: Requirement to Deploy (R2S)
  • Fulfil: Request to Fulfil (release/delivery) (R2F)
  • Run: Detect to Correct (R2D)

Cloud Computing and the Internal Audit Function!

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Discover why organizations move to the cloud and how this can have an impact on the internal audit function.

I presented a webinar on cloud computing:

https://home.kpmg/be/en/home/insights/2020/10/adv-cloud-computing-and-its-impact-on-the-internal-audit-function.html

Linked to that webinar an article was published, that first defines cloud computing based on four axes:

  • Service provision model
  • Service access
  • Service resources
  • Service characteristics

Secondly, on why cloud computing is important:

  • Need for more ICT flexibility
  • Need to increase ICT speed
  • Need to reduce ICT costs
  • Need to reduce ICT risks

Next it presents benefits and risks, to conclude on the internal audit challenges:

  • Definition of scope
  • Dependencies on third parties
  • Skills and expertise
  • Access to data

You can read the article on the KPMG webiste:

https://home.kpmg/be/en/home/insights/2020/11/ta-cloud-computing-and-the-internal-audit-function.html

… or download it here:

Summary cloud computing – the internal audit functionDownload

How to Quantify the Effects of Innovation?

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An Adapted Valuation Model for Innovation! Innovation in IT Consultancy Services.

Innnovation NPV

Working in the IT Consultancy Services Industry for a bit over 20 years, innovation projects have been a major part of my job. Innovation is my passion but I often see innovation projects being approached as an art-form and not as a science. This is often due to limitations of traditional project management techniques and project valuation methods.

The drive to create a new innovation valuation model was triggered by three key questions:

  • Innovation is important but can it be managed?
  • Is innovation radically different compared to existing business processes?
  • Does innovation require special management techniques?

During the research I first defined what innovation is, next I defined a new innovation process model and finally I created a quantification model to put a value on innovation projects.

The innovation process model is based on 5 dimensions and 4 diamonds.

5 D's and 4 Diamonds Model
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TOGAF V10 Is Here! What Changed?

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Recently the 10th version of The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) was released that focusses more on the agile application of the Architecture Development Method (ADM). However TOGAF still has a hard time to let get go of an inherent incremental/iterative approach.

For a summarized view on TOGAF and the related guidance, have a look at the lecture notes of my recent masterclass:

TOGAF Summary and Lecture NotesDownload

From Cyber-Security to Digital Resilience

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A paper on the relationship between Digital Resilience and Cyber-Security

Digital Resilience (DR) has become more important as our typical usage of digital systems has changed. The increased interconnection of systems to provide the same functionality compared to the previous monolithic systems architectures, made digital systems more complex.

Because of these evolutions, IT technology deepened and widened its impact on strategic, tactical and operational company processes. It also meant that traditional rigid approaches to cybersecurity are not sufficient anymore.

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