Build an Application Rationalization Framework
Manage your application portfolio to minimize risk and maximize value.
- Almost two-thirds of organizations report that they have too many or far too many applications due to sprawl from poorly managed portfolios, and application managers are spending too much time supporting non-critical applications and not enough time on their most vital ones.
- The necessary pieces of rationalization are rarely in one place. You need to assemble the resources to collect vital rationalization criteria.
- There is a lack of standard practices to define the business value that the applications in a portfolio provide, and without value rationalization, decisions are misaligned to business needs.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
There is no “one size fits all.” Applying a rigid approach to rationalization with inflexible inputs can delay or prevent you from realizing value. Play to your strengths and build a framework that aligns to your goals and limitations.
Impact and Result
- Define the roles, responsibilities, and outputs for application rationalization within your application portfolio management practice.
- Build a tailored application rationalization framework (ARF) aligned with your motivations, goals, and limitations.
- Apply the various application assessments to produce the information that your dispositions will be based on.
- Initiate an application portfolio roadmap that will showcase your rationalization decisions to key stakeholders.
Build an Application Rationalization Framework
Start here – read the Executive Brief
Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should rationalize your applications and why you need a framework that is specific to your goals and limitations, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.
1. Lay your foundations
Define the motivations, goals, and scope of your rationalization effort. Build the action plan and engagement tactics to roll out the rationalization activities.
2. Plan your application rationalization framework
Understand the core assessments performed in application rationalizations. Define your application rationalization framework and degree of rigor in applying these assessments based on your goals and limitations.
3. Test and adapt your application rationalization framework
Test your application rationalization framework using Info-Tech’s tool set on your first iteration. Perform a retrospective and adapt your framework based on that experience and outcomes.
4. Initiate your roadmap
Review, determine, and prioritize your dispositions to ensure they align to your goals. Initiate an application portfolio roadmap to showcase your rationalization decisions to key stakeholders.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
9.0/10
Overall Impact
$39,851
Average $ Saved
20
Average Days Saved
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
Guided Implementation
8/10
$2,479
1
Kuvare US Holdings
Guided Implementation
10/10
$28,350
9
Statistics Canada
Guided Implementation
9/10
$47,500
20
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
Workshop
7/10
N/A
N/A
MSS Business Transformation Advisory, Inc.
Guided Implementation
10/10
$7,437
2
Darling Ingredients
Guided Implementation
7/10
$13,873
9
American Honda Motor
Workshop
10/10
$12,395
20
Government Employees Health Association Inc
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
N/A
MCS Healthcare Holdings LLC
Guided Implementation
9/10
$123K
20
Office Of The Comptroller Of The Currency
Guided Implementation
9/10
$123K
50
Motor Oil Hellas Corinth Refineries S.A.
Guided Implementation
9/10
$13,274
5
Sherritt International Corporation
Guided Implementation
8/10
$13,000
10
Parsons Inc
Guided Implementation
10/10
$619K
10
Fast Planet Consulting
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
N/A
Bauer Hockey LLC
Guided Implementation
8/10
$12,063
10
Victorinox AG
Guided Implementation
9/10
$6,031
5
Debswana
Guided Implementation
10/10
$123K
20
LiveBetter
Workshop
9/10
$200K
10
City Of Charlotte
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
N/A
State of Hawaii
Workshop
8/10
$63,711
9
HONDA NORTH AMERICA INC.
Guided Implementation
10/10
$12,733
20
United Federal Credit Union
Guided Implementation
8/10
N/A
90
Botswana Railways
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
18
University of Johannesburg
Guided Implementation
9/10
N/A
5
Department of Energy- Richland Operations Office
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
N/A
Cengage Learning
Guided Implementation
7/10
N/A
5
Dollar General
Guided Implementation
8/10
N/A
1
Uganda Revenue Authority
Guided Implementation
10/10
N/A
75
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Guided Implementation
8/10
N/A
5
Sedgwick Cms
Workshop
8/10
N/A
10
Application Portfolio Management
Support your ongoing business objectives with a rationalized application portfolio while remaining aligned with your current and future technology needs.
This course makes up part of the Applications Certificate.
- Course Modules: 4
- Estimated Completion Time: 1-1.5 hours
- Featured Analysts:
- Ben Mackle, Senior Research Analyst, Application Practice
- Allison Straker, Research Director, Application Practice
Onsite Workshop: Build an Application Rationalization Framework
Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Lay Your Foundations
The Purpose
- Define the goals, scope, roles, and responsibilities of your rationalization effort.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Defined motivations, long and short-term goals, and metrics for your rationalization effort.
- Definition of application.
- Defined roles and responsibilities for your rationalization effort.
Activities
Outputs
Define motivations and goals for rationalization.
- Goals, motivations, and metrics for rationalizations
Define “application.”
- Definition of “Application”
Identify team and responsivities.
Adapt target dispositions.
- Defined dispositions
Initiate Application Rationalization Framework (ARF).
- Defined core APM team and handoffs
Module 2: Assess Business Value
The Purpose
- Review and adapt Info-Tech’s methodology and toolset.
- Assess business value of applications.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Tailored application rationalization framework
- Defined business value drivers
- Business value scores for applications
Activities
Outputs
Review Application Rationalization Tool.
- Application Rationalization Tool
Review focused apps, capabilities, and areas of functionality overlap.
- List of functional overlaps
Define business value drivers.
- Weighed business value drivers
Determine the value score of focused apps.
- Value scores for focused application
- Value Calculator
Module 3: Gather Application Information
The Purpose
- Continue to review and adapt Info-Tech’s methodology and toolset.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Tailored application rationalization framework
- TCO values for applications
- Technical health review of applications
- Recommended dispositions for applications
Activities
Outputs
Determine TCO for focused apps.
- TCO of focused applications
- TCO Calculator
Determine technical health of focused apps.
- Technical health of focused apps
Review APA.
Review recommended dispositions.
- Defined rationalization criteria
- Recommended disposition for focused apps
Perform retrospective of assessments and adapt ARF.
Module 4: Gather, Assess, and Select Dispositions
The Purpose
- Review and perform high-level prioritization of dispositions.
- Build a roadmap for dispositions.
- Determine ongoing rationalization and application portfolio management activities.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Application Portfolio Roadmap
- Prioritized Dispositions
Activities
Outputs
Determine dispositions.
Prioritize dispositions.
- Disposition Prioritization Tool
Initiate portfolio roadmap.
- Application portfolio roadmap
Build an action plan for next iterations and ongoing activities.
- Action plan for next iterations and ongoing activities
Finalize ARF.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Try Our Guided Implementations
Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 12 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation #1 - Lay your foundations
- Call #1 - Define the motivations and goals for rationalization and the metrics to gauge success.
- Call #2 - Define “application” in your organization.
- Call #3 - Identify rationalization activities, outputs, and the core APM team who will execute them.
- Call #4 - Identify your first iteration.
Guided Implementation #2 - Plan and test your ARF
- Call #1 - If required, adapt Info-Tech’s dispositions.
- Call #2 - Define an initial AFR.
- Call #3 - Understand how to use Info-Tech’s Application Rationalization Tool.
- Call #4 - Apply the application assessments for business value, TCO, and technical health.
- Call #5 - Perform a retrospective for your first iteration, and adapt AFR.
Guided Implementation #3 - Initiate your roadmap
- Call #1 - Determine and prioritize your dispositions.
- Call #2 - Roadmap your dispositions.
- Call #3 - Build an action plan for next iterations and ongoing activities.