The methodology that ensures success for business-critical solutions

Setting out on a transformational journey is like going into unknown territory. Behind any major technological project can lie a hidden landscape of small issues and considerations which have been overlooked in the race for the ‘big prize’ or new opportunities which may emerge that were not initially anticipated.  

 

As plans progress, stakeholders may change their minds or teams seek to introduce new elements into their desired outcomes. As a result, scope begins to creep, risks increase, and costs mount. 

 

Fortunately, there is a way to avoid such pitfalls, through a commitment to best practice and the development of a comprehensive roadmap.  

 

By following this proven methodology - and ensuring you have an experienced partner by your side - your journey will be smoother and more effective. 

For more than 30 years, Columbus has been successfully delivering business-critical solutions for major enterprises across multiple sectors, including food and beverage, manufacturing, retail and distribution, and life sciences. 

 

This deep, cross-industry experience has allowed us to develop a comprehensive, best-practice approach to running client engagements.  

We call our delivery methodology OnTarget because it anticipates potential challenges, prioritises people and delivers value. It enables businesses to navigate the twists and turns in a transformation journey, ensuring they stay on course towards their goals.  

 

Initiatives involving business-critical solutions often change as they develop, requiring adjustments to the initially proposed system architecture. Through iterative demonstrations of the solution as it unfolds, OnTarget offers the flexibility to accommodate new demands, refine project pace, launch new projects in parallel and adjust phase duration.  

 

It enables you to predict the long-term direction of your business transformation. 

 

Columbus stays by your side throughout the whole journey - from planning for success to making sure it is realised and that it continues to evolve alongside your business as requirements change and grow. 

 

The methodology comprises three critical elements that should be in place for you to succeed in your transformation journey: Define, Execute projects and Evolve. 

In the Define phase we translate your business strategy to enterprise architecture, using frameworks and insights which align your vision with execution. We focus on identifying the optimum outcomes of your transformation journey, assess the impact of change and make sure your people are not only ready for it, but are enthusiastic about it – because to maximise opportunity, your organisation in its entirety, and not just the IT team, must own the project. 

 

We can help you build your strategy, foresee where problems are most likely to arise, and support you in creating a culture which embraces change readily.  

 

• Define your vision and assess where value can be found
• Prioritise the identified initiatives in terms of value delivery
• Build the roadmap
• Navigate organisational change-management challenges
• Map user journeys to ensure you always keep people at the heart of the project, from planning through to go-live and beyond 

 

The Define element should not be viewed as a one-off exercise. Every business needs to remain hyper-alert to the rapid changes taking place in a digital, data-driven world. This means having the organisational agility, mindset and culture capable of adapting to and benefiting from change.  

Our comprehensive approach ensures your projects are delivered efficiently and align with your strategic goals. We do so with three steps:  

The first step is focused on assessing your readiness to proceed, making sure that every key question has been asked and answered.  

 

Fundamental to any proposed change or specified outcome is a thorough understanding of the necessary data that will drive it. We evaluate the data you have compared to the data that will be required and then begin to fill any gaps. 

 

We work with your key stakeholders to understand and finalise your exact business processes. It may be that you are trying to get more insights from your data, reduce costs, increase productivity, streamline operations, or improve customer experience.  

 

• Diligent planning
• Business value-driven scoping
• Configuration of a solution baseline
• Demo and prototyping of key processes and components
• Creation of the solution strategy documents 

Our test-driven approach breaks the project scope into iterations, ensuring you see progress in weeks and offering the opportunity to verify processes in action. This allows for dynamic adjustment, so the evolving solution remains in line with stakeholder expectations and delivers planned-for outcomes.  

 

• Validating and configuring best-practice processes
• Designing and building solution-specific processes as required
• Verifying the entire system and end-to-end processes, including reporting, analytics, and data management 

Testing of the solution in ‘live’ situations, involving users, their devices and integration into workflows, leads us to a point where everyone involved is confident in readiness for go-live.  

 

During this step, we also evaluate the skills your team will need to confidently manage the system in the future. We provide training and knowledge transfer to make sure they have these capabilities, helping you prepare for life in the cloud. 

 

• Training and skills development
• Final verification of the solution and necessary data
• Preparation for transition to the ongoing Operation phase
• Go-live 
 

 

Once your solutions are up and running, we provide constant visability of both issues and opportunities to, first, maintain stability and, then, accommodate further innovation or adaption for evolving business needs. 

 

During the Evolve phase, we make sure innovation, security, and productivity are placed at the top of the daily agenda, protecting your data, applications, and integrations.  

 

Predictability is key throughout every component of OnTarget. This relies on honesty, consistency and creating time upfront to make sure KPIs are linked closely to your mission, vision and strategy. 

 

Columbus is dedicated to achieving project success for clients and making sure they get the most from their investment. 

We know what works, and we can steer you clear of what doesn’t. With our focus on best practice, our industry expertise and strong team of great professionals, we’ll help you create a better tomorrow. 

 

Contact us to learn more about our delivery methodology and expertise