Results:

·      Establishedownership of rationalization to support ongoing IT cost- and complexityreduction.

·      Establisheda shared vocabulary and understanding of application rationalization.

·      Designeda structured process with flexibility to support both existing rationalizationefforts and new modernization programs.

·      Buildbespoke dashboards, enabling leadership to monitor high level progress.

·      Createda roadmap on how to scale the value generation of application rationalization.

Challenge:

The organization’s management recognized the need forapplication rationalization to reduce IT costs and simplify the technologylandscape. However, they faced challenges in clarifying what “rationalization”should entail and aligning on its specific goals and implications.Additionally, there was a need for a shared vocabulary for rationalization andhow it should be understood and practiced, as some existing programs werealready carrying out rationalization efforts in various forms.

Given these challenges, it was critical to establishapplication rationalization as a sustainable mindset rather than a one-offproject, accepting that it would be an ongoing, evolving effort rather than animmediate overhaul. To drive lasting change, the organization needed astructured process, cohesive data model, and transparent governance, all alongwith clear ownership and buy-in from key stakeholders.

Solution:

Konfident facilitated the dedicated core team,including early adopters, to develop a structured, sustainable process for applicationrationalization. This approach enabled the organization to build momentum, andto align on core concepts, define responsibilities, and establish a repeatableframework for ongoing rationalization. By prioritizing transparency andincremental improvements, the team built a clear roadmap for accessingnecessary data over time, supporting long-term success. Key elements of the solution included:

• Facilitating Alignment on Rationalization Goals: Konfident led collaborative sessions to define a clear, shared vision for rationalization. This early alignment enabled the organization to understand and agree on what rationalization meant within their context, creating a strong foundation for structured progress.
• Engaging Early Adopters and Integrating Existing Programs: To build momentum, we engaged early adopters and integrated existing rationalization initiatives into the new framework. This integration     lowered the barrier to entry, helped build a collaborative environment where stakeholders could contribute effectively, and helped generate buy-in from these stakeholders. By putting ongoing activities into context, it made it relevant for management to be engaged from the beginning.

• Incremental and Realistic Rollout: Recognizing that some data was initially unavailable. We facilitated the process of identifying where data was limited and where viable proxy metrics should be used until they can obtain the required data in the future.
• Identified and Assigned Responsibilities: A model was built that accounts for the distributed ownership of applications, and the consolidated requirements for rationalization, using roles and phases.
• Governance and Ownership: Set up a governance structure to manage the rationalization process and oversee ownership transition throughout the application lifecycle.
• Process Mapping: A detailed process map outlining the sequence, and responsibilities of stakeholders in the process, and the handover of responsibility through an initiative.
• Developing Bespoke Dashboards for Leadership: Build a bespoke dashboard with leadership to track high-level progress, enabling them to track the status and impact of rationalization efforts, make     informed decisions, and provide feedback that could be integrated into ongoing work.
• Continuous Communication: Kept management updated on progress, aligning with their feedback, while aligning objectives with realistic expectations and providing a clear pathway for achieving goals.

Success:

Through Konfidents support, the organization has builta foundational, sustainable approach to application rationalization that willallow the organization to start working with application rationalization, aswell as expand on the concept as the maturity grows. By creating a sharedunderstanding of rationalization, management and the core team have achievedalignment, enabling a proof-of-concept team to drive the rationalizationprocess and adjust based on achievable objectives. This structured approachalong with the roadmap for scaling the rationalization efforts positions theorganization to continuously streamline its technology landscape, control ITcosts, and reduce complexity, laying the groundwork for ongoing success inapplication rationalization.

The establishment of a clear governance structure andownership model has set the foundation for rationalization as an organizationalmindset, rather than a one-time project. With early adopters and existingprograms incorporated, the rationalization framework has gained momentum,fostering buy-in and reducing barriers to participation. Lastly, bespokedashboards provide management with high-level insights, enabling them to trackrationalization progress and provide informed feedback throughout the rationalizationinitiatives.

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