Enterprise Information Architecture

XYZ Corporation (Name withheld)

Background

XYZ Corporation is a billion-dollar conglomerate with a diversified portfolio of companies. Having grown rapidly, and largely through acquisitions, XYZ found it owned several distinct information technology (IT) systems. The company turned to Fulcrum IT to inventory and analyze these diverse information systems and orchestrate the process of developing a new information architecture.

Discretion and security are key to this high-risk project. XYZ's component business units are all successful operations with large investments in their respective information systems. Corporate culture supports the independence of the individual companies, yet there was clearly an opportunity to reduce redundancy and streamline operations. Above all, the project must not interfere with ongoing business operations.

Methodology

Fulcrum IT's approach includes the following elements:

• development and application of a system-integrated, five-phase IT strategic planning process that will result in an IT concept of operations (e.g., vision, mission, performance-based goals), IT operational requirements, and IT lifecycle management processes and directed tasks to achieve future business objectives;
• establishment and facilitation of a "Jury of Experts" approach and controlled opinion feedback to rapidly assess the gaps in performance that are created by differences in management expectations, business process capability, and market forces, and then determining of the means and resources required to bridge those gaps;
• application of decision analysis methods and tools that facilitate graphical, interactive, real-time decision-making about technology and policy alternatives;
• collaboration with external experts to identify and accommodate external factors, such as technology trends and standards, and properly integrate them with corporate core capability, business processes, existing technology, human capital constraints, information requirements, and other resources required to meet the company's goals and objectives; and
• application of rapid prototyping techniques and project estimation templates to integrate necessary implementation tasks with ongoing projects, within priority, schedule, budget, and risk constraints.

Results

Fulcrum IT delivered framework and vision documents and identified opportunities for immediate cost savings.