CIOhelper | Digital Transformation
Hans-Henrik Levy, Digital Transformation Lead & Senior Enterprise Architect
Helping you deliver people-centric and data-driven Digital Transformation!
Building on almost 20 years of digital/IT management experience, I provide consulting services as a CIOhelper, offering companies an experienced, helping hand in the arena of digital transformation & digital services.
I have selected 6 KEY VALUE PROPOSITIONS in focus areas that I am passionate about leading as digital transformation lead or senior enterprise architect, and where I lean on a solid background and experience.
Key Value Propositions
Why Choose Me?
Experienced, execution-focused architect & leader with positive drive and clear communication, bridging business & technology thru global architecture & transformation leadership
End-to-end digital & architecture leadership experience
- Across PLAN-BUILD-RUN, project/program delivery and software/solution development (Agile/SCRUM & Waterfall Method).
- From upfront strategy/planning, architecture & scoping/POC – to final deployment, roll-out & user adoption/hypercare (people change mgt)
- Delivering change in complex, digital environments such as the Financial Services industry (in the Nordics) or in Global Enterprise IT setups of global/international companies.
Transformation architecture and leadership whether building new platforms or transform your existing legacy landscape
- New digital, platforms of customer/business solutions or AI/BI/data management to enable transformational change and benefits.
- IT simplification/consolidation, application rollouts/carve-out/M&A as well as migrations/upgrades of Legacy IT systems & platforms.
- Architecture and roadmaps to manage TCO/cost & platform lifecycle, including GDPR or technical/IT security compliance issues.
Cross-border/cross-cultural teamwork and international IT delivery/digital programs
- Delivering as enterprise architect or transformation lead in hybrid/blended (internal/external) digital programs and teams, navigating in cross-border/cross-cultural programs & teams, agile & business outcome focused collaboration with Business stakeholders and executives.
- Business/IT architecture & digital delivery at both Nordic/European/Global level, and with global service partners such as TCS, LTI/Mindtree, Accenture, Wipro, CapG.
- Software selection, solution/vendor benchmarking & PoC projects with e.g. IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Dassault Systemes, Cisco, Software AG, STIBO, ISIS Papyrus.
CIOhelper – Key Value Propositions
Legacy Systems & IT modernisation (TCO/cost mgt)
Career examples: [Tryg, SDC, FLS]
- Upgrade/re-implementation, cloud migration of legacy platforms on obsolete/out of support technology
- Refactoring of legacy code, migration from mainframe to target technology/platform
- Large-volume data migration from legacy platforms, GDPR/data compliance issues
- In-sourcing SME support/doc., AM/managed services, knowledge transfer & documentation
- TCO/cost mgt, platform lifecycle mgt, nearshoring/Poland, offshoring/India
Are these your challenges?
- Reducing legacy, modernisation of e.g. 10-20+ yrs old apps or data platforms
- No extensibility or scalability, blocking business improvement/innovation, TCO/cost of run & maintain
- Issues with upgrade, support, data/software compliance
- Lacking documentation and SME/experts to support
- Risky upgrade or migration projects, high complexity and risk of business disruption
- Lack of business buy-in, users resisting change, seen (wrongly) as pure IT/tech exercise
Then this is my value-add ->
- Strong in architecting and driving change in Legacy IT landscapes, IT strategy for IT modernisation
- Broad experience in handling aging, legacy systems and technologies
- Driving migration/transition while handling business impact & technical risks
- Engaging & selling Why-What-How to both teams/SMEs & executives
- Vendor management & delivery experience, handling and guiding external partners
- Compliance & regulation (GDPR/EBA), digital infrastructure/services for Financial Services
IT Simplification & platform consolidation (M&A)
Career examples: [FLS, Tryg, Nets]
- Consolidating country/bus. unit IT systems to single platform, global IT/solution rollout & standardization replacing local systems
- E.g. CRM/customer mgt, ERP, SCM/mfg, Finance/HR systems or IT platforms for BI/data mgt, ECM/document mgt, integration/ESB
- M&A/rollout, merge, migration of IT applications and platforms, incl. conversion/migration of customer data, business records (e.g. contracts, policies, documents), users & roles, setups & configurations etc.
- Planning, architecture & roadmaps for IT simplification and technology standardisation
Are these your challenges?
- Duplicate/overlapping business applications, web or data platforms – focus on TCO/cost
- M&A/business integration: mgt push to consolidate, standardize & harvest synergies, pressure to scale up for growth
- M&A/divestment: carve-out of systems, data, ‘mission-critical’ & timeline-driven
- High-complexity, high-risk rollout or migration to common/global IT platform – incl. issues with data and risk of business disruptions
- Deploying to large user groups, standardisation to new ‘standard processes’ and new UI
- Local, legacy IT systems with customized setups, vendor/SME limitations, lacking documentation
- Uncertain alignment with Business and key stakeholders (senior mgt)
- Avoid misinformation, mitigate resistance & frustration from employees/middle mgt
Then this is my value-add ->
- Strong in architecting and driving change in IT/digital landscape or strategic business solutions, often involving M&A/carve-out, BU/business integration or global standardisation/rollouts
- Broad experience with EA/technology roadmap, Business/IT optimization & design, solution consolidation and data migrations
- People impact and OCM/change management experience
- Driving architecture, design & POC/pilot projects, communication to business/executive stakeholders, internal IT teams, and external partners
- Engaging & selling Why-What-How to both teams/SMEs & executive levels
- Vendor management & delivery experience, supporting and guiding external partners
IT/application outsourcing, cross-border IT teams & IT organisation
Career examples [Tryg, Nets, FLS, SDC]:
- TCS, LTI/Mindtree, Accenture, IBM, Oracle a.o.
- Transformation of IT organisation, structure & processes for software/appl. development, maintenance & operations
- Outsourcing of IT service mgt/infrastructure operations, hybrid onsite/offshore teams, security/access mgt, ODC/offshore centers
- India based AM/application managed services, IT/software dev., nearshoring (Poland) and offshoring (India) of IT/software development & project delivery, hybrid agile/Scrum teams
- Cross-border, cross-cultural teams & IT processes (Nordics, USA, India, UK, Germany, Croatia, Poland)
Are these your challenges?
- High complexity transition project to implement off-/nearshoring or IT outsourcing of e.g. software development, application management, IT/infrastructure operations
- Multi-dimensional, transformational change management involving external partners, internal staff/org impact & risks
- Risk of operational disruptions, impact on business/customers, resistance and push-back from affected departments
- Ensuring buy-in and support from business & management stakeholders
- Complex negotiations and potential show-stoppers from HR/labor unions, legal/compliance, local regulatory
Then this is my value-add ->
- Strong ‘executor/communicator’, broad experience of IT process transformation
- Offshoring/nearshoring as IT teams & process transformation or IT outsourcing and AM/managed services as IT service delivery/operations transformation
- Optimizing cost/risk/value, avoid pit-falls while implementing transformation
- Handling dimensions and dilemmas of cross-cultural/cross-border, blended teams
- Communication and OCM/change mgt towards existing IT/digital organisation, onboarding of stakeholder groups, both on technical/team & mgt level
- Drive outsourcing/service contract process, experience in collaborating with HR/legal/labor unions
- Vendor management & delivery experience, supporting and guiding external partners
Building new IT solution or data/BI/AI platform
Career examples: [Nets, FLS, SDC, Tryg]
- Agile web/business application development, cloud/std software implementation & rollout
- Relase-based product/software engineering of digital customer apps and customer online services
- Building & deploying BI tools/platforms, MDM/master data mgt, DWH/data mgt solutions
- Technologies: iOS/Android, Java, .NET, SharePoint, Mainframe, Oracle ERP, MS Dynamics CRM, MS PowerBI, Oracle BI/DWH, STIBO MDM, Software AG ESB/integration, SiteCore CMS
Are these your challenges?
- High complexity & high-risk project, impacting business and customers
- Business critical & urgent, enabling business growth or customer/market opportunities – ‘needed yesterday’
- Balancing top-down push for results vs. ensuring agility/empowerment of teams
- Get buy-in from Business mgt/excutives, addressing user adoption/resistance
- Parallel solution development, deployments & operations
- Complications from e.g. new technology or architecture, vendors, cross-border delivery/teams
- Regulatory & compliance, critical infrastructure/high-performance, IT security
Then this is my value-add ->
- ‘Executor & Servant Leader’, engaging & driving, selling the Why to teams and stakeholders
- Agile solution delivery, agile program/project management
- IT/EA architecture background, broad technology experience
- Complex stakeholder mgt, handling external vendors/partners & internal Legal/HR/Procurement
- Compliance & regulation (GDPR/EBA), digital infrastructure/services for Financial Services
Customer communication & document mgt (CCM)
Career examples: [Tryg]
- Customer output mgt solution, outbound document generation and distribution solution
- Customer inbound document and communication automation solution (emails, attachments, documents)
- Document platforms for archiving, retrieval and editing of customer documents, letters, and communication
- Document platform integration and APIs
- Technologies: IBM ECM (FileNet, Content Mgr, Content Mgr On-Demand, Content Navigator), ISIS Papyrus (Outbound/BCS, Capture)
Are these your challenges?
- High complexity & high-risk project, impacting usiness and customers
- Balancing top-down push for results vs. ensuring agility/empowerment of teams
- Get buy-in from Business mgt/excutives, addressing user adoption/resistance
- Parallel solution development, deployments & operations
- Complications re. technology/architecture, vendors, cross-border teams
- Regulatory & compliance, critical infrastructure/high-performance, IT security
Then this is my value-add ->
- ‘Executor & Servant Leader’, engaging & driving, selling the Why to teams and stakeholders
- Tryg Document Platform leader, detailed insights in to CCM/document archiving and content/output mgt (documents, emails, sms),
- ECM/CCM specific vendor/platform experience, IBM ECM and document arhiving/mgt technology, ISIS Papyrus output mgt, business communication & content mgt technology
- How to enable digital Customer Journey & implement business automation/AI (incl. GDPR compliance/document retention mgt)
- Agile solution delivery, agile program/project management
- Business stakeholder mgt, vendor management & strategic partner collaboration
Solution Scoping & Platform Selection/POC
Career examples: [FLS, Nets, Tryg]
- Strategic solution scoping/business mapping, POC scoping, implementation, workshop/scoring
- Standard business software/application selection, GARTNER rating/call, vendor demos and workshops, reference calls
- Business prestudy project, requirements/RFI/RFP
- Vendor negotiation, project contracts, software/ license quotes and contracts
- Vendors/partners: IBM, Microsoft, Accenture, TCS, LTI/Mindtree, Oracle, STIBO/Informatica, Software AG, CISCO
Are these your challenges?
- Avoid rushed software/vendor selection & solution investment decisions, starting implementation without proper solution/platform scoping
- Risk of insufficient mapping to business strategy and/or requirements, lack of alignment with Business and executive stakeholders
- Conducting sufficient/efficient process of validation, benchmarking & trial/POC of technology and vendor options, to achieve learning upfront and to back up your decision
Then this is my value-add ->
- ‘PM/diplomat’ – focus on execution while navigating & guiding both internal and external stakeholders
- Extensive vendor selection/solution scoping experience – how to avoid pitfalls
- Drive POC/workshops w. vendor/partner collaboration
- Build Business Case, Investment Case, and benefit realisation plan
- Navigate internally with Business, architects/legal/compliance
- Advise end-to-end process, how to balance timeline, quality/granularity, buy-in/decision
CIOhelper – Other Services
CIO/CTO Advisory & Assistance
[assisting, supporting & advising digital/IT leaders of digital solutions/infrastructure, digital business, or IT organisations]
[helping to coordinate, organise & communicate digital/IT strategy & planning activities or major projects/changes]
Your need for help & support?
- As digital/IT leader you have ownership of driving a major and/or complex IT transformation/digital initiative/technology challenge – and you need help:
- In coordination, organising, and preparation of executive-level communication towards e.g. Business & executive stakeholders, internal HR/Finance/Legal, as well as your own organization and partners
- Ensuring progress, quality assurance and timely delivery, while safely navigating a complicated situation and stakeholder landscape
- Motivating internal and external participants to contribute and deliver, ensuring it gets prioritised
Then this is my value-add ->
- Worked for 7 CIO/SVP/Dev Directors, understand expectations and agendas in play at CIO/CTO/Dev Director level
- Hands-on experience in driving and coordinating major initiatives/programs/steering committees, (incl. executive/SteerCo reporting, management-level communication & onboarding) as well as preparing org./all staff level communication, perhaps aligned with internal HR/comms/legal functions
- Dealing effectively and professionally with external vendors/strategic partners across initiation, contract, and implementation stages
Interim IT/Digital Leadership Assistance
[Interim leader as e.g. IT Director, IT Manager, Head of IT, IT Development Director/Mgr, Product Eng. Manager]
Your need for help & support?
- Need to fill IT management gap for a period, in & out, with solid, stable performance
- To head up e.g. IT management, IT/software development, or PPM/project portfolio mgt
- Lead and deliver as per existing org/team/projects/services
- Execute on specific changes or implementations, then hand-over
Then this is my value-add ->
- Experienced IT leader with both people/collaborative & execution focus, communication at both strategic/business and technical levels
- Hands-on experience across PLAN-BUILD-RUN stages of business/IT service delivery (tried the pains & pitfalls!)
- Understanding of Business/IT strategies and IT technologies/architecture in play
- Dealing effectively and professionally with external vendors/strategic partners, both ‘local’ & global
Contact Me
What is “CIOhelper” & my mission?
Digital transformation projects are often anchored in the CIO/CTO/IT area and owned by digital leaders – perhaps one such as you – whether serving as CIO, CTO, IT/Digital SVP-VP or at director/manager level (eg. product/software eng., IT development, PPMO/programs).
So, the name “CIOhelper” simply comes from my mission to help you & your team(s) be successful, by making a commitment to always:
A. Drive your digital transformation project towards positive outcome with servant leadership, positive energy & agile mindset
B. Engage 100% in your journey, whether helping in the early stages FOR scoping, mobilisation and initial implementation – or helping to execute the project from start to finish
C. Promote a BALANCED approach to digital transformation & TECH implementation, guided by a principle of ‘people-centric yet data-driven & outcome-focused, well-scoped & prepared while agile & learning’
CIOhelper.dk guiding principles: Comments from Hans-Henrik Levy
From my experience, digital transformation and IT/technology implementations are best enabled for success by ensuring as best possible that the ‘strategy’ (i.e. the overall ‘gameplan’, structure, governance, resources & funding) for your project or major change at hand incorporates 4 essential dimensions:
- “people-centric”
- People can be both the ‘speeder’ and the ‘brake’ of a transformation/implementation, so people-focus & people change mgt become essential in almost all projects
- Solid understanding of if-where-who-how people – and with them the organisational structure & process they are part of – are impacted by the change or implementation at hand is crucial to the success of your digital transformation because you can easier balance/’optimise’ value/impact/effort.
- “data-driven & outcome-focused”
- ‘Getting value from data’ as some say, I agree – data whether meta data, business data, operational data etc has great power in e.g. driving solution scoping/prioritization, supporting implementation decisions, measuring progress/results – also helps you communicate, making people understand better.
- Similar, I believe it’s essentially to focus on/talk about outcome – whether tangible/here-and-now or intangible/down-the-road – and using business cases/benefit realisation as a vehicle for steering and justifying digital transformation – what it gives & what it takes so to speak
- “deeply anchored within Business”
- Someone once said – Gartner I think 🙂 – “there are no longer any IT projects, they are all Business projects”, and of course digital transformation today is all about doing/running your business. But in my experience even very technical, behind-the-scenes, IT-only projects very fast end up somehow impacting business/digital solutions or processes, requiring business change/testing etc. (example: On-prem to Cloud migration). So important to upfront do the planning & plotting of how your IT/digital transformation should be anchored & engaged within Business.)
- “well-scoped & prepared but also agile & learning”
- ‘Go slow to go fast’ as a friend once taught me – I am not always the best at this but I have seen from experience the advantage and the value from simply spending the time/effort of up-front scoping, analysing, building backlog, onboarding & communicating, before you say GO! It is just good investment/ROI
- AND it does not mean Classic Waterfall, ‘do or die, stick to the plan’ – we must prepare and plan to be agile & learning as we go thru the implementation and the transformation – to adjust along the way, finding the best possible & highest-value (benefits!) path, despite all the preparations spent!”
Who can disagree to any of this? – I know but at the same time this is easier said than done, and so often digital transformation/implementation projects struggle to be successful on all 4 dimensions. Or striking good balance at least, as a path to success and results.
As a CIOhelper, I will do my best in assignments to promote and myself adhere to this recommended, principle approach.