The moment companies start to be bothered by outdated and complex systems, the question arises how to make the best move to the future: point by point or via a major IT migration process.
Migration
A complete IT migration process is often seen as necessary and annoying. It entails costs and risks that it is difficult or incomplete for the team to oversee. But it also offers possibilities and opportunities. IT migrations must therefore be implemented in the same way as complex and large-scale efforts of change management are implemented.
Early start from a strategic perspective on details
Planning a migration process cannot start early enough. It always starts at a strategic level. Why is IT migration desirable? What should the migration lead to? What is the extent of the migration process and what does it all affect the end result? Which risks and threats are foreseen, such as vulnerabilities on the outdated systems and what can be the impact on the operation? From the early inventory it becomes clear what needs to be taken into account and a migration style can be chosen whereby the lead time and risks are compared to each other.
Risk reduction
A lot of suffering can be prevented by extensively considering the potential risks during the planning and design phase. Risks that are not detected in the preparation can entail considerably higher costs than risks that were anticipated well in advance.
Resources and continuity scenarios
When we think about resources, the focus is on bringing in the right knowledge, expertise and resources to deliver the project. But also after delivery, the resources must be available in order to be able to use the IT environment to the maximum in operational terms.
Process management and communication
In addition to the technical scenario, a management plan must also be made for the management of potential risks. This plan must ensure that the main stakeholders and the project team are aware of the project status. The communication plan must also include an escalation plan for problems. This part of the migration communication plan should help manage issues that arise during the migration process. For the success of an IT migration process, these must be widely supported in the organization.
From necessity to opportunity
IT migration processes are best if they are flown in from a broad perspective on where innovation can add value and can contribute to the result. A structured IT migration is the perfect breeding ground for innovative change management. We are happy to discuss how new opportunities and broad added value can be created from outdated situations.
