A powerful technique to achieve continuous executive alignment is to build a
“Cloud Change Canvas.” A change canvas is based on the business model can-
vas concept, a tool created in the lean startup universe. A change canvas pro-
vides a one-stop view of the business’ urgencies, success metrics, target con-
ditions, visions, investments and desired wins/benefits driving its cloud
journey. Canvas authoring is a group activity — very visual, with a powerful
style to engage participation. It’s like a business case, but it’s lightweight to
create and easy to evolve as the team builds and learns. In summary, the exer-
cise forces your leadership team to take ownership and sustain involvement in
the cloud transformation process.
Key Activity 2: Assess your current cloud maturity and set direction
Most likely you are not starting from scratch. Even if you are, the fact remains
that you can leverage the learnings of others who have transitioned to cloud
before you. One common approach is to conduct a Cloud Maturity Assessment.
If you are familiar with CMMI Institute's Service Capability Maturity Model,
then you are familiar with the tactic.
Service Operations
Customer /
Service Strategy Service Portfolio
& Design Vendors /
Partners Financial / Cost
Mgmt Securit
Comp
Enable Optimal
Cloud Operations Full Lifecycle
Management of
Cloud Service Cost, Quality &
Compliance SLAs /
SLOs Continuous Cost
Optimization Secure, C
Auditabl
4 — Self Serve -
End to End App/
Infra Automation End to End Visibility Application
Landscape Templates Provider Roadmaps
Integrated Total Cost of
Operations Applicatio
w/i C
Fram
3 — Self-Serve -
Infrastructure as
Code Application Aligned
Services Workload Profile
Cloud Templates Real Time Service
Reporting Total Cost of Service Infrastruct
w/i C
Fram
2 — Partially
Automated Application Oriented
Cloud Services Initial Standard Cloud
Services Vendor Management
Framework Real Time Cost
Integration 1 — Manually
Engineered Heavy Lifting per
Application One off Service
Design Disparate Contracts Manage to Budget
5 — Continuous
Service Optimization
Cloud
Fram
Oper
Complian
Docum
Figure 3: CTP’s Cloud
80 | THE DOPPLER | WINTER 2018