Recognize the digital transformation that exists within a merger or acquisition

— and treat it as such.
A merger represents a unique opportunity for organizations to re-imagine the manner in which they use technology to power business processes and enhance the customer experience. The integration process offers an opportunity to jumpstart the digital transformation.

1. Establish clarity

In order to define the right integration roadmap, a like-to-like comparison must be enabled.

Why necessary?

+ Supports effective evaluation during due diligence
+ Lets you identify any potential integration conflict
+ Accurately understand the technical integration risks and opportunities

How can SAMU help?
 

  • Provide a ready-made meta-model to start with
  • Give ultimate flexibility to adjust it
  • An Excel importing wizard and APIs for integration
  • Auto-generated visual overviews with drill-down capability
Applications of the two merging organizations viewed in the same domain structure for comparison. Lines represent data flows among them.

2. Define the EA integration roadmap

Create an integration map that describes the systems and applications in use by the respective organizations and their relationships to each other in the same common meta-model. Moreover, indicate data flows and data dependencies.

Create current state mappings of both the organization’s technology environment as well as a future state mapping that defines the post-integration technology stack — the new starting point for the organization.

Why necessary?

+ uncovers missed elements of the technology architecture
+ identifies potential risks, gaps
+ improve transformation work prioritization, orchestration
+ faster and more secure mergers while controlling costs

How can SAMU help?
 

  • Easy visual roadmap modelling based on the common meta-model
  • Handling of current and future state components and component modifications over time
  • Collaboration over a shared knowledge base
  • Architecture analysis based on parameters
Integration map showing new data flows in green and stopping data flows in red. Applications with red marks will be ceased, while those with orange label will be modified. Details of the changes are described further on data level.

3. Deliver the EA integration

The key to a post-merger technology integration comes down to two things: clarity and collaboration.

Clarity of the current and future architecture, identifying the integration roadmap and relevant responsibilities will provide a pathway to help successfully handle the fears and politics usually blocking mergers and acquisitions.

Deconstruct the end-state into a set of separate and auditable work packages that sequence the necessary technology transitions in a controlled manner.

Why necessary?

+ shared view of the integration status while monitoring for potential risks
+ establish and manage priorities during integration activities
+ teams can collaborate and work in parallel while ensuring that they identify critical dependencies and realize the intended business value

How can SAMU help?
 

  • Scoping of projects
  • Management of responsibilities
  • Timing and prioritization
  • Identifying risks and potential conflicts
Integration roadmap with the individual projects shown in time. Each modelled and managed from architecture perspectives by a lead architect. SAMU highlights possible conflicts, for example if two projects are touching the same component at the same time. This method allows better and faster planning and early identification of conflicts.

4. Make change management a core competency

This approach lays the foundation for sustained success long after the transaction by creating a highly integrated technology stack and a well-defined architecture that can be rapidly adapted to changing business demands — which is ultimately the goal of a digital transformation.

Why necessary?

+ agile IT to deliver new solutions
+ fast to react when incidents happen

How can SAMU help?
 

  • Intuitive web-only UI
  • Easy-to-learn and distribute
  • Easy to extend

Are you undergoing a merger?

Let us show you how SAMU can support your due-diligence and integration efforts!
Sign up for a personalized demo now …