---
title: Advisory Framework
description: Get ready for the upcoming Advisory Framework on the STACKIT Cloud Framework, with strategic guidance for cloud strategy, portfolio alignment and clear decisions.
hero:
  tagline: 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.
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source_url: "https://framework.stackit.cloud/advisory/"
source_file: "docs/advisory/index.mdx"
---

### 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

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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## 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:

<CardGrid>
  <Card title="Strategic Direction">
    Formulating a clear cloud vision (North Star) and operationalizing it through measurable business and transformation KPIs.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Financial Control">
    Developing a realistic, CFO-stress-testable business case based on valid TCO analyses and ROI scenarios.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Federated Governance">
    Establishing clear decision-making paths via a Cloud Strategy Board as well as automated security via technical guardrails.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Organizational Readiness">
    Setting up an effective Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) and preparing the workforce for evolving role profiles.
  </Card>
</CardGrid>

## 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:

<Steps>

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.

</Steps>

## 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.