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Phase 02 + 03 · Strategy & technology selection

From levers to strategy – and to the right technology.

The process analysis shows where it pays off. The digital strategy turns that into a plan: a target picture with a roadmap and an economic assessment per measure. Only then comes the technology decision – vendor-independent and transparently reasoned.

Phase 02 · Digital strategy

What a viable digital strategy must contain.

Not a vision on 80 slides, but a working document you can base budget, staffing and technology decisions on.

Building block 1

Target picture

How do your core processes work in 18–36 months? Described concretely from the perspective of the people who work with them – not the systems.

A goal the organization carries
Building block 2

Roadmap

The prioritized measures in an achievable order: quick wins first, dependencies considered, efforts estimated realistically.

Achievable, not maximal
Building block 3

Business case per measure

Every measure with expected value, cost and payback. What doesn't pay off gets cut – economic value is a principle, not a platitude.

Decision-ready numbers

How it works

Developed together, not delivered from above.

The strategy emerges in a few focused working sessions with management, business units and IT. Typical duration: 3 to 6 weeks.

1
Target picture workshop

Where do you want to go?

The levers from the process analysis become a shared target picture – aligned with the people who have to carry it.

2
Assessment

What pays off?

Business case per measure: value, cost, payback, risks. Including data and regulatory checks.

3
Roadmap

In what order?

Prioritized by impact and dependencies. The result: a roadmap your organization can realistically deliver.

4
Decision

With which technology?

The vendor-independent technology selection completes the strategy.

Phase 03 · Technology selection

Extend what you have, buy – or build?

Only when strategy and priorities are set does the technology decision follow. I assess all three paths on equal terms – including against my own platform. Four criteria decide: total cost over the lifetime, integration into your system landscape, data sovereignty and operability by your team. The recommendation is always reasoned, always comparative – and never driven by product sales.

Decision framework

Three paths – honestly compared.

CriterionExtend what you haveMarket solutionCustom build / own platform
When it makes senseYour systems almost cover the process – what's missing is connection or automationStandard process with mature, affordable offerings on the marketCore process with differentiation potential or high data sovereignty requirements
Typical costsLow – often the underrated quick winLicense + implementation + yearly increasesHigher initial cost, full control over running costs
Data sovereigntyStays as it is todayDepends on the vendor – check carefully (GDPR, EU AI Act, hosting)Fully yours – EU hosting, transparent governance
RiskLow, fast impactVendor lock-in, customization limitsNeeds clear requirements – that's what the strategy phase is for

“No digitalization for its own sake: every measure in the strategy has a business case. What doesn't pay off gets cut – even if it's technically appealing.”

Eugen Schäfer · The economic value principle

The next step

Let's turn your levers into a plan.

In a free intro call we'll clarify where you stand – and whether to start with the AI Quick Scan or go straight into the strategy phase.

Book an intro call – 30 min, free