A high-quality design product company embarked on a journey to scale its operations based on an organization design with aggressive sales ambition laid out in 2021. The company’s endeavor was initiated through an introduction by a Private Equity investor, who had taken a significant stake in the product company. The investor was already acquainted with the expertise of our organization, as we had previously developed an Enterprise Architecture for another company within their investment portfolio.
The design product company had a history of organic growth, with processes that had evolved over the years. However, these processes were largely manual, with Excel serving as a critical tool for supporting various business operations, including logistics and financial decisions. To fulfill their strategic growth plans, our team set out to develop a comprehensive process architecture and ICT architecture to transform the company into a scalable, adaptive organization. A roadmap of projects was created to guide the transformation over the first three years, divided into three distinct ‘Waves.’
Challenges:
- Transforming from a homegrown, manual operation to a scalable, adaptive organization.
- Developing an ICT infrastructure capable of supporting growth.
- Re-engineering sales and customer support processes.
- Estimating the costs associated with each project.
- Identifying key roles within the organization to drive the transformation.
Solutions:
- Blueprint and Roadmap Development: We collaborated with the design product company to create a blueprint and roadmap for achieving their scaling ambitions. The roadmap outlined the key phases of transformation over the first three years.
- Process and ICT Architecture: We designed a process architecture and an ICT architecture that would form the backbone of the company’s growth. These architectures aimed to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and support expansion.
- Project Roadmap in ‘Waves’: The roadmap was organized into three ‘Waves’ of projects:
- Realizing the IT backbone and digitizing Supply Chain Management processes.
- Expanding sales processes.
- Professionalizing Customer Support.
- Cost Estimations and Role Identification: For each project, we provided estimates for both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX). Additionally, we offered recommendations regarding critical roles within the organization to ensure effective implementation.
Results:
- Both senior management and the Investor Board, including the Private Equity investor, were highly impressed with the meticulous approach and the quality of the results.
- New management has taken the reins of the roadmap for its implementation, demonstrating a commitment to realizing the company’s growth ambitions.
Key Takeaways: This case study emphasizes the significance of adapting to the changing business landscape through structured planning, technology integration, and process optimization. It showcases the impact of a well-crafted roadmap and the involvement of senior management and investors in driving transformative change. Through strategic collaboration and meticulous planning, the high-quality design product company is on the brink of a significant transformation. The roadmap, process architecture, and ICT architecture provide the foundations for scalability, and the commitment of new management ensures that the company is poised for success in achieving its ambitious growth goals.
