Strategy · software modernisation
Seventeen years of product knowledge rethought as a steerable transformation programme.
For an international industrial group, an established service platform was not simply put out to tender for a rebuild. It was restructured functionally, technically and commercially.
Starting point
A successful platform needed a robust basis for its next stage of development.
Several connected applications, extensive data structures and processes built up over many years carried the knowledge of an international service organisation. For the next stage, visible functions, underlying business logic, data histories, security requirements and new corporate objectives had to be captured together.
The existing platform was neither to be carried forward uncritically nor replaced without a sound basis.
PERCEL role
Establish the evidence. Decide change consciously.
- consolidated source code, templates, data structures, documents and requirements
- classified functions as existing, changed, new, removed, migration or open
- developed the business and technical target picture for a streamlined platform
- divided the full scope into 16 steerable workstreams
- included migration, security, operation, documentation and handover from the beginning
- defined roles, responsibilities, validation and five approval gates
- made effort and budget decidable through transparent scenarios
Responsible AI
AI-ready – without uncontrolled automation.
AI was designed use case by use case, not written into the product promise as a blanket claim.
- base translations with mandatory human approval
- future business questions from approved knowledge sources
- AI-ready reporting and recommendations
- clearly defined data access
- responsibilities, register and compliance review
- no uncontrolled use of confidential data for model training
Operation and handover
Delivery capability must not depend on one person or provider.
Hosting, backups, monitoring, support and regular security reviews were treated as part of the target picture. For later releases, source code, repository history, reproducible working environment, configurations and current documentation are intended to form the complete handover.
This preserves long-standing product knowledge while modern engineering and specialist capability can be brought in modularly.
Result
A robust foundation before delivery begins.
The target picture provides a robust basis for decisions and delivery across management, business functions and future delivery partners.
The rebuild and AI functions are designed as subsequent development stages. They are not presented as results already delivered.
An established system?