Stage 4: Future-State Vision
Now Acme defines where it wants to go. This is not yet detailed solution design. It is a target direction.
What This Stage Is
The future-state vision should answer questions like:
- What kind of technology operating model do we want?
- What should remain on-premise and what should move?
- What should be standardized?
- What should be automated?
- What controls must be built in from the start?
- What business outcomes matter most?
In our Acme scenario, the future-state might include goals such as:
- Faster provisioning
- Better cost control
- Clear ownership and accountability
- Reduced manual effort
- Less shadow information technology
- Improved change management
- Better developer and business agility
- Stronger governance
- Modern platform capabilities
- A more scalable delivery model
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 |
|---|---|
| Chief Information Officer and Senior Leadership | They define direction and ambition |
| Enterprise Architecture | They translate ambition into structural principles |
| Security Leadership | They define mandatory security expectations |
| Finance | They ensure the vision is financially credible |
| Operations and Service Management Leadership | They ensure the model is operable, not just aspirational |
| Business Stakeholders | They validate whether the target state actually helps the business |
What Gets Produced
Outputs often include:
- Target operating principles
- Future-state architecture principles
- Transformation objectives
- Business outcomes
- Scope boundaries
What Can Go Wrong Here
Risks: The target state becomes either:
- Too vague to be useful
- Too detailed too early
Remember: A good target state is directional and outcome-focused, without prematurely dictating every implementation detail.
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