AWS admits, that each organization’s journey to the Public cloud is unique.
Focus on value
To succeed in digital transformation journey, AWS offers to start by envisioning desired target state, understanding cloud readiness, and adopting an agile approach to closing the gaps.
Transforming incrementally will allow demonstrating value quickly while minimizing the need to make far-reaching predictions.
Adopting an iterative approach will help maintain momentum and evolve the roadmap as learn from experience. According to AWS Cloud Adoption Framework, there are four iterative and incremental cloud transformation phases shown in the following figure.
Envisioning phase
Envisioning focuses on demonstrating how the cloud will help accelerate business outcomes. It does so by identifying and prioritizing transformation opportunities across each of the four transformation domains in line with strategic business objectives. Associating transformation initiatives with key stakeholders (senior individuals capable of influencing and driving change) and measurable business outcomes helps demonstrate value through your transformation journey.
Align phase
Align focuses on identifying capability gaps across the six AWS CAF perspectives, identifying cross-organizational dependencies, and surfacing stakeholder concerns and challenges. It helps create strategies for improving cloud readiness, ensure stakeholder alignment, and facilitate relevant organizational change management activities.
Launch phase
Launch focuses on delivering pilot initiatives in production and on demonstrating incremental business value. Pilots should be highly impactful; if successful they will help influence future direction. Learning from pilots helps adjust approach before scaling to full production.
Scale phase
Scale focuses on expanding production pilots and business value to desired scale and ensuring that the business benefits associated with cloud investments are realized and sustained.
How to start?
- Subject matter experts can help facilitate an Envisioning workshop. During it you focus on producing a visual Envisioning scenario (Benefits Dependency Network) that connects business goals and outcomes to enabling technologies, identifies key measures, and helps you prioritize your cloud initiatives.
- Two weeks after Envisioning workshop, continue with Alignment workshop, facilitated by Cloud matter experts. During it you produce an executable action plan that helps mature foundational capabilities and improve cloud readiness.
