Three expeditions from practice — each following the same pattern: first the map, then the plateaus, with people as the carriers of change.
The tangle. Several municipalities, each with its own historically grown landscape: over 700 applications combined, with duplicates, bespoke integrations and fragmented management. Each municipality too small on its own to turn the tide.
The climb. As founding director of the joint IT company, established a plateau plan: de-siloing and consolidating per architecture layer, with a shared end state as the map. Not everything at once — each plateau had to carry itself before the next climb began.
The summit. The landscape more than halved, to under 350 applications — and with every rationalisation, control over the landscape grew. More importantly: an organisation that keeps rationalising on its own, because the map is there and the teams know how to climb.
The tangle. Big digital ambitions, a multi-million budget, and the classic risk: a programme that delivers systems while the organisation keeps working the way it always has.
The climb. As programme manager, governed the three layers in concert: information and systems, ways of working, and motivation. The first AI pilots not as technology showcases, but responsibly embedded: with guardrails up front and employees as ambassadors of the new way of working.
The summit. A programme whose results stick, because the capacity for change was built inside the organisation itself — not hired in and gone again.
The tangle. Ageing infrastructure, a rising maintenance burden, and no shared picture of where things should go.
The climb. As interim IT manager, drew up a cloud-first strategy and IT master plan — set up base camp — and climbed the first plateaus together with the organisation’s own teams.
The summit. No consultancy report left in a drawer, but a route the organisation continues independently. That is the criterion we judge ourselves by.
Just an honest look at your landscape: where it is entangled, which plateau is within reach, and what your capacity for change is today. Prefer something concrete right away? Start with a two-hour Quickscan — a first look at your map, with immediate options for action.
Or call directly: +31 85 303 2922 · ernst@managementresultants.com