The Starting Point: Why a foundation of toothpicks brings down any project
Anyone building a house checks the ground first. Anyone starting a digital project often ignores this step and later wonders about cracks in the facade. The problem: every unresolved assumption about the current state costs a multiple later in the project. When documentation is missing and knowledge exists only in the heads of individual employees, every innovation becomes a risky flight blind.
To turn a starting point of "historically grown system landscapes" into a robust launch pad, we analyze six core areas:
The 6 pillars of a stable foundation
Mission & restrictions
What is the real trigger for the project? Do we know the current TCO (total cost of ownership) and do we know where the money really leaks away?
IT landscape & legacy burdens
Which systems (ERP, PIM, CRM) are in use? Which "custom quirks" do we need to cut away so the new system is not immediately blocked again?
Data ownership
Where does the data come from, where does it flow to, and what about its quality? Data junk in a new system stays data junk.
Workflows & processes
Are workflows still up to date, or do employees maintain data manually in five different systems "because we've always done it that way"? And are these workflows even documented?
Use cases
Which features create real value, and what is just expensive frills that no one uses in the end?
Stakeholder insights
Who are the real users (internal and external) and what are their biggest pain points?
The maturity check: How stable is the foundation?
A realistic picture of your own situation is the best insurance against budget overruns. Where would you place your company?
The four maturity levels
System knowledge not fully complete, processes and data flows not comprehensively documented.
Main systems are named, first documentation exists. Knowledge is tied to individuals.
Comprehensive documentation of data flows and processes. Pain points are named.
Full clarity. Processes are optimized, legacy burdens identified and ready for replacement.
Close the "gap to good"
Does your foundation wobble at the very first question? Clarifying the starting point is not a bureaucratic exercise, but an economic necessity. A systematic platform audit or a targeted workshop helps uncover the blind spots before they turn into an expensive downfall over the course of the project.
Checklist: The foundation test
Can we explain our entire system ecosystem in three sentences?
Are all interfaces and data streams currently documented?
Do we know exactly which manual processes currently eat up the most time?
Have we identified the "custom quirks" that can be dropped in a system switch?
Have we spoken with the actual end users about their daily hurdles?
The other perspectives:
01
Crew perspective: Who does what, how and when?
This is not about org charts, but about real role clarity. Who decides what? Who contributes? What does the communication matrix look like? Commitment only emerges when the "you take him, I've got him covered" principle is replaced by clear responsibilities.
03
A clear target vision: Where do we want to end up?
A target vision is far more than a feature list. It defines the business vision, target markets and above all the KPIs by which success is measured. While detailed plans often fall apart at the first problem, a strategic target vision keeps the project on course even through stormy phases.
04
Solution path: How do we build the bridge between actual and target state?
This perspective identifies the concrete differences between the current state and the target vision. It translates the black box "project" into a comprehensible roadmap with stages, decision points and clear next steps.
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