Stage 2: Initial Scoping and Leadership Alignment
At this point, Acme moves from “we have a problem” to “what kind of problem is it?” This is where many sourcing efforts quietly fail.
What This Stage Is
This is where ACME starts aligning on what they are actually trying to solve.
Is this about:
- Data center exit
- Cloud migration
- Platform modernization
- Cost reduction
- Application transformation
- Managed services
- Operating model redesign
- OR, All of the above
This stage is critical because many failed sourcing exercises begin with internal disagreement.
Who Is Involved
Based on the Organization scale and structure, these roles may exist independantly or be merged. However, the basic idea remains the same.
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Information Technology Leadership | They define the broad transformation ambition |
| Enterprise Architects | They help separate symptoms from root causes |
| Security Leadership | They identify control and compliance concerns |
| Finance Leadership | They ask what business value is expected |
| Procurement Team | Procurement is the function that manages the formal buying process, vendor engagement, commercial fairness, and documentation standards |
| Legal Team | They advise on contracting implications early if needed |
| Transformation Office or Strategy Office | If Acme has a dedicated transformation team, they may coordinate the work |
Key Questions Answered Here
- Why are we doing this?
- What outcomes do we want?
- Are we buying a project, a managed service, a transformation partner, or a combination?
- Is the goal efficiency, modernization, speed, compliance, or strategic change?
- Are we looking for one vendor or multiple vendors?
- Do we want advisory only, delivery only, or full lifecycle support?
What Gets Produced
Usually one or more of these:
- Problem statement
- Transformation objectives
- High-level scope note
- Executive alignment pack
What Can Go Wrong Here
| Stakeholder | Preference |
|---|---|
| Business | Wants speed |
| Finance | Wants cost reduction |
| Security | Wants control |
| Operations | Wants stability |
No one reconciles these into a common vision. If that happens, the Request for Proposal becomes confused and vendors respond to different interpretations.
| ⬅ Series Home | ⬅ Trigger & Problem Recognition | Current-State Assessment ➡ |