IT System Design
As an IT consultancy with a strong expert network, and member of leading IT standard setters, we offer businesses a single point of contact for all their computer and networking technology needs.
We offer the expertise and service levels coming with a rationale cost structure that makes sense for companies of all sizes. We help our clients to …
Getting it right the first time
Particularly, this includes:
- Built-in Quality
We help our clients to utilize IT as a business enabler:
IT should support the business, not the other way around. Though, what we often see is (more or less) the opposite (Vieweg, 2016):
In most cases (84%), relevant data is not available at the point (time and person) of the decision! The reasons for that are manifold, some of which have to do with technical limitations of IT tools used, but in most cases, that are organizational issue:
The classical challenge is Master Data Management. E.g., if the customer data are not up to date, if the bill of materials in a production company is not complete or even in HR, personnel data is not updated, your processes will get stuck: customers not paying as invoices may be addressed to the wrong party within a larger organization, manual processes on raw materials ordering, or (I have seen that really!) terminated ex-employees still are on the monthly payroll run…
- Built-in Security
Cyber-attacks are massively increasing in terms of events, affected businesses and damage.
So, it is not the question IF but how EFFECTIVE your DEFENSE is and, how EFFICIENT your recovery works in case of a successful attack. As cyber technologies emerge with paradigm shifts through artificial intelligence and upcoming quantum computing, so defense need to scale up as well!
Just a simple example: U.S. National Institute of Standardization (NIST) and a lot of IT security trainings recommend password protection of at least 8 characters:
Well… how long does it take to crack a complex one (with all bells and whistles:
numbers, upper- and lower-case letters and symbols?
39 minutes (in 2022) to crack a complex 8-character password!
(a 7-character long, complex password will take 31 seconds!), according to Hive Systems.
With high-performing graphic processors (or renting computer or graphic hardware through incumbent cloud providers) an affordable endeavor for cyber attackers.
Attacks are becoming more complex and with a longer reach, such as recurring ransome attacks.
We help businesses to identify their risk profile, the resulting threat landscape and identify a recommended IT security set-up. This includes definitively appropriate tools (software / hardware), though as well the required structures (such as, but not limited to policies), responsibilities and trainings.
- Resilience by Design (RbD)
Following best frameworks such as Cobit 5.0, ISO and ISACA standards and working with proven high-performing technologies (though we are independent of software/hardware vendors), we enable your business to stand robust and recover quickly in case of critical events. - Business-driven IT system architecture:
We see that each business has its own unique propositions and IT needs that may evolve over time. Therefore, we typically develop the customer’s IT solution in proven agile approach allowing fast feedback and adjustment as further requirements evolve.
Depending on the client’s current situation, a clear business intent, benefit hypotheses and acceptance criteria will be formulated, the system architecture aligned to meet current and future needs, and implementation e.g., in terms of software development, integration, deployments and finally release management will be provided as required. That could encompass application development, system configuration (e.g. utilizing tools from incumbent - Cost savings through smart system retirements:
Many of our customers initially suffered from keeping legacy systems and applications alive (“just in case”) or as they do not know what the application is good for in the first place. Those ones who have introduced the software may be not accessible anymore. In the context of ERP-Systems (Enterprise Resource Planning), very often bespoke solutions and workarounds were developed long time ago (as at that point in time, a standard solution from the ERP-software vendor was not available), though this hinders massively proper release management and blocks valuable and scarce (both in human as well as technology) resources. With proven tools, we are able to identify such optimization potential very quickly.
Application Examples on SAP (R3)-Installations:
- >40% of applications in SAP-systems are in-house developments, though only 60% of which are used. This results in high costs (Capex and Opex), additional complexity (interfaces), and vulnerability at new SAP releases (if possible at all, think about S4H!).
>70% of the SAP standards readily available are not used, although >30% of the inhouse developments can be replaced by SAP standard solutions right away. Resulting in reduced process efficiency and low productivity.
How does this work out for me?
In a direct (remote and free of charge) INITIATION SESSION (1h) we will discuss your objectives, scope, and context.
Depending on your needs and your own capabilities, we will provide you a support concept that fit neatly into your approach. It may comprise just specific change management interventions or up to full implementation of organizational cyber security implementation which typically comprises
- Baselining of specific issues (e.g., how well are IT-Security policies implemented) right up to a full IT audit
- Identifying improvement measures (may include trainings, coachings)
- Implementing improvement measures
- Coaching
- Effectiveness check
For higher efficiency, we suggest an agile working mode with biweekly client-participating reviews on predefined deliverables and flexible agile contract. This enables quick feedback and adjustments as necessary.
In other words, the typical approach is
- Scaled to your real needs
- Delivering tangible results continuously
- Low risk, as the agile contract ensures required skill capacity and allows for adjustments as required.
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