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Advisory Framework

The STACKIT Advisory Framework is your strategic roadmap and decision-making toolkit designed to plan and prepare a secure, digitally sovereign, and business-oriented cloud transformation on STACKIT. It guides IT and financial decision-makers through the phases of strategy definition, business case design, and governance establishment—before any technical resources are deployed.

Understanding the Advisory Framework

Section titled “Understanding the Advisory Framework”

The STACKIT Advisory Framework provides strategic clarity, economic decision foundations, and organizational guardrails for the C-level. It accompanies you from the definition of the overarching cloud vision to an approved and prioritized transformation plan to ensure an orderly transition into the adoption phase.

Framework overview

Section titled “Framework overview”

The overview below summarizes the strategic arc from setting direction to handing an approved plan over to Adoption. It helps decision-makers see which module answers which question, and where the financial, organizational, and governance workstreams depend on each other.

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STACKIT Cloud Advisory Framework Strategic arc across the four stages Direction, Economics, Organisation, and Control and handover, with the seven Advisory modules and their pages. STAGE 1 Direction STAGE 2 Economics STAGE 3 Organisation STAGE 4 Control & handover Cloud Vision & Strategy Cloud Vision & Strategy Set the North Star, the sovereignty stance, and the principles behind every decision. North Star & Cloud Goals North Star & Cloud Goals CIO Guide CIO Guide Cloud Design Principles Cloud Design Principles Role Model and RACI Role Model and RACI Sovereignty Strategy Sovereignty Strategy Cloud Provider Selection Cloud Provider Selection Exit Strategy & Portability Exit Strategy & Portability Cloud Strategy Board Cloud Strategy Board Cloud Strategy Cloud Strategy Transformation Strategy Transformation Strategy Business Case & Financial Planning Business Case & Financial Planning Build a CFO-grade TCO, ROI, and investment model for the programme. TCO Analysis TCO Analysis ROI & Payback ROI & Payback Scenarios Scenarios Investment Planning Investment Planning Business Case Narrative Business Case Narrative Cloud Finance Management Cloud Finance Management Make cloud spend transparent and move cost accountability into the teams. FinOps Fundamentals FinOps Fundamentals Tagging Strategy Tagging Strategy Showback & Chargeback Showback & Chargeback Budget Governance Budget Governance Cloud Centre of Excellence Cloud Centre of Excellence Give the transformation an owner with a clear mandate, roles, and rollout plan. CCoE Charter CCoE Charter CCoE Structure & Roles CCoE Structure & Roles Four-Phase Rollout Four-Phase Rollout Federated Model Federated Model Cultural Change Cultural Change Turn resistance into engagement through sponsorship and a champion network. Board as Sponsor Board as Sponsor Cloud Champions Cloud Champions Resistance Resistance Roles & Works Council Roles & Works Council Change Acceleration Change Acceleration Governance Governance Balance control and agility with guardrails that hold up in an audit. Three Pillars Three Pillars Shared Responsibility Shared Responsibility Service Types Service Types Cloud Hierarchy Cloud Hierarchy Usage Policy Domains Usage Policy Domains Transition to Adoption Transition to Adoption Pass a formal readiness gate and hand over a prioritised adoption roadmap. 5-Dimension Readiness Assessment 5-Dimension Readiness Assessment Approval Event Approval Event Adoption Roadmap Adoption Roadmap Continue in the Adoption Framework Continue in the Adoption Framework

Purpose and goals

Section titled “Purpose and goals”

The Advisory Framework is designed to eliminate uncertainty during the strategic planning phase and build a viable bridge between business goals and technological implementation. It ensures that fundamental architectural decisions, financial frameworks, and organizational responsibilities are not decided in isolation.

Typical goals of the framework are:

Strategic Direction

Formulating a clear cloud vision (North Star) and operationalizing it through measurable business and transformation KPIs.

Financial Control

Developing a realistic, CFO-stress-testable business case based on valid TCO analyses and ROI scenarios.

Federated Governance

Establishing clear decision-making paths via a Cloud Strategy Board as well as automated security via technical guardrails.

Organizational Readiness

Setting up an effective Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) and preparing the workforce for evolving role profiles.

How to use this framework effectively

Section titled “How to use this framework effectively”

Use this framework as a structured mental model to guide C-level sponsors, architects, and financial decision-makers through strategic preparation in the correct sequence. Each chapter addresses specific core questions and delivers the appropriate methods for removing organizational barriers.

Recommended approach:

  1. Define North Star: Start by developing a business-oriented cloud vision.
  2. Calculate Business Case: Translate the vision into a transparent financial model with scenario planning.
  3. Build CCoE: Structure the transformation team and agree on a clear mandate via a CCoE charter.
  4. Establish Governance: Rely on a three-pillar governance model to automate security, compliance, and finance guardrails.
  5. Audit Readiness: Check transformation readiness structurally across 5 dimensions using the phase-gate process prior to adoption approval.

Practical guidance

Section titled “Practical guidance”

The best transformation results are achieved when the C-level (CIO, CTO, CFO, CISO) actively acts as a sponsor and the Cloud Strategy Board works in partnership with the CCoE. Always keep financial assumptions transparent, define clear decision-making competencies (RACI model), and involve employee representatives (works councils) proactively and early in the role transition process. This creates the necessary trust and learning culture to durably anchor technological change within the organization.