Information technology

We help clients develop an enterprise architecture with the quality and timeliness you require. In addition to tailoring a framework based on your business needs, we can help you develop the governance and team structure, processes, standards required to make your enterprise architecture a success. 

• Application architecture. Application architecture provides a blueprint for the individual application systems to be deployed, their interactions and their relationships with the core business processes of the organisation.
  • Application architecture components include: application service catalogue, application inventory and types, functional requirements, application (service) relationship model, data flow diagram, interface model and application phasing model.)
     

• Information architecture. Our information architecture services provide data model design for enterprise-wide data objects and relationships such as person, entity, activity and offering. We can also provide detailed data definitions for the key attributes of each of these objects.
  • Information architecture describes the structure of an organisation's logical and physical data assets and data resources, including: business key performance indicator catalogue, information list / catalogue, data dictionary, entity relationship model, information flow model and canonical data model.)
     

• Infrastructure architecture. Infrastructure architecture describes the technology infrastructure intended to support the deployment of core, mission-critical applications. The infrastructure architecture components include: technology service catalogue, technology inventory and types, non-functional requirements, network diagram, IT security model, data centre diagram, server diagram, storage diagram.
  • Technology service catalogue describes what non-functional components are provided by the IT infrastructure e.g. processing, storage, networking, security, presentation (clients), etc.
  • Technology inventory and types describes, for each software application, what technology platforms are involved - vendors, hardware, versions, etc.
  • Non-functional requirements are the statements of performance or service level agreements required from IT infrastructure e.g. scalability, availability, throughput, capacity, etc.
  • Network diagram is a schematic which shows how applications, servers, data centres, clients and physical locations are connected, including network types, bandwidths, routers, firewalls, etc.
  • IT security model shows for all applications and IT infrastructure components how security is covered: access, authentication, authorization, encryption, privacy, intrusion prevention, etc.

We can provide business requirements analysis and realignment, application integration and standardisation, application innovation for new business directions, system evaluation and selection, large project / programme management and package application implementation or testing services. Our services cover both Line of Business (LOB) applications as well as corporate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

• Business application / ERP strategy. Application architecture provides a blueprint for the individual application systems to be deployed, their interactions and their relationships with the core business processes of the organisation.
  • Strategies are designed for managing the technology risk during significant business transformations and for managing the interface between business and IT.)Strategies are designed for managing the technology risk during significant business transformations and for managing the interface between business and IT.)
     

• Business requirements management. Our technology consultants act as a link between business departments and the IT department to help clients minimise the gap between business and IT, and to describe business requirements using technology-based language.
  • We describe business requirements using service-oriented architecture technology based on client business processes, including general system requirements, core functional requirements, data flow, etc.)
     

• Business application / ERP selection. With a proven methodology, we provide system selection services to help clients with system selection including, application strategy, business requirements preparation, quick screening for qualified vendors, “requests for proposal” RFP, response to vendor, vendor evaluation, to make sure all relevant stakeholders buy-in to the final decision.
  • We have experience of working with core business applications for specific industries such as banking, insurance or telecoms, as well as general ERP packages, such as SAP, Oracle EBS, etc.)
     

• Business application / ERP implementation. We provide business application implementation services for both business applications and ERP systems to drive clients' business transformation visions.
  • We also provide detailed health-checks in areas such as programme governance, structure, scope, business benefits, key performance indicators, CSFs as well as in relation to the key work streams such as IT, data, business process design, people and change and supplier sourcing.
     

• Testing. We support clients in the planning, design, management, execution and reporting of tests, using appropriate testing tools and techniques and conforming to agreed standards to ensure that new and amended systems, together with any interfaces, perform as designed.

We can advise you on the overall management of information as a fundamental business resource. The main areas include data governance (development of data strategy, organisation and policies covering the design of information structures and taxonomies), enterprise data management (the setting of policies for the sourcing and maintenance of the data content, the management and storage of electronic content), innovative and industry specific business intelligence and data analytics.

• Data governance: We assist in the design and implementation of policies, processes and systems to manage the quality of data and information to meet the needs of business processes, reporting and regulatory compliance.
  • Our services encompass development and promotion of the strategy and policies covering the design of information structures and taxonomies, the setting of policies for the sourcing and maintenance of data content, the management and storage of electronic content and the analysis of information structures (including logical analysis of data and metadata). We also provide advice on strategy for management of data, including how it is collected, controlled, quality assured, reported, integrated, as well as information architecture and overall responsibility for compliance with regulations, standards and codes of good practice relating to information and documentation records management, information assurance, security and data protection.)
     

• Enterprise data management: We provide advice on management of information, as a strategic business resource, to ensure that the information needs of the business are met. This encompasses development and promotion of enterprise data models, metadata design and implementation repositories, master data management and the selection and implementation of tools to support data governance.
  • We can help you to improve overall data management processes by optimising business applications, ERP systems and through data warehouse integration, including ERP data transformation, information and document retention ("IDR") and content management.)
     

• Business intelligence and data analytics: We can help you to define, develop or Quality Assure an information and technology blueprint for your reporting functions (finance and operational data), and to assess the solution technology used (e.g. Hyperion, Informatica).
  • We will review the source, staged and reporting data stores, access and queries, reporting cubes, user presentation, and the required business intelligence / data configuration and development tasks. Our data management consultants provide specialist expertise for, and practical assistance in, the investigation, evaluation and interpretation of data in order to ensure its coherence, availability, accuracy and security to meet information and communication systems requirements. We also provide data analytic services for clients to find inside information from existing business data.

We can review IT functions in a merger or acquisition situation, to identify key risks, to assess alternative solutions, to estimate a range of costs based on respective approaches, to assess the maturity of IT governance and to help realise the value of the deal.

Our services range from an initial evaluation of the likely IT issues to the support of integration and cost reduction strategies post deal.

• IT due diligence the provision of IT expertise is to:
  • Evaluate the suitability and sustainability of the IT organisation, infrastructure and applications;
  • Assess the adequacy of the current applications and hardware to meet the existing and future business needs;
  • Evaluate the extent to which current systems provide management with timely and accurate information;
  • Assess the appropriateness of IT budget to support the business and planned projects;
  • Quantification of financial / business operations impact where IT issues are identified;
  • Highlight the potential impact of a transaction on the IT function and its ability to support the business; and
  • Where applicable assess the achievability and timing of the defined IT cost synergies, along with quantification of any associated sensitivities.
• Post merger integration / separation – Our services are designed to:
  • Identify, define and deliver the merged entities IT integration opportunities / initiatives post transaction;
  • Identify and evaluate the financial IT synergy benefits, along with IT opportunities to support the new business operating model; and
  • Support the client management teams to integrate and align their IT cultures, landscapes and footprints to maintain "business as usual" throughout the integration.

Our post separation services are to develop / assess the IT plan for the establishment of a separated IT environment to support the stand-alone business plan.  This consists of expertise to:

• Assess the current providers of IT services;
• Evaluate the one-off IT separation costs;
• Assess the timeframe to implement the plan and the related IT TSA requirements;
• Evaluate the on-going IT and business cost impact;
• Assess the key separation risks and identify possible mitigating actions; and
• Assess the ability for the business to operate on the first day of being sold.)