CFS Core Banking Transformation
Solution architects achieve cross work stream alignment and harmonization on banking transformation program.
A case study on how I helped the Co-operative Financial Services establish effective design governance
Value Impact
Reduction in design-related delays
Decrease in cross-workstream conflicts identified late in the process
Improvement in design documentation quality and consistency
Reduction in rework due to misaligned design decisions
The Challenge
Co-operative Financial Services, a major UK financial institution, was undertaking a large-scale transformation of their core banking platform, facing substantial challenges in technical design governance and alignment:
- The massive program employed hundreds of people across multiple workstreams
- Technical design decisions were made in isolation without consideration of cross-workstream impacts
- Documentation was inconsistent and difficult to track across the program
- Design approval processes were unclear and bottlenecked decision-making
- Stakeholders lacked visibility into technical design rationale and implications
- Cross-functional dependencies were identified too late, causing rework
- Different teams were making contradictory architectural decisions
- The scale and complexity of the program made traditional governance approaches ineffective
This challenge was particularly critical as core banking platform decisions would have long-lasting implications for the organization's technical capabilities and operational effectiveness.
The Solution
As Senior Associate at Infosys Consulting, I was tasked with establishing and driving the design governance process to ensure technical alignment across this complex transformation program:
Key Components
- Governance Framework: Structured approach for design documentation and decision-making
- Cross-Workstream Review Process: Collaborative forum for evaluating design decisions
- Dependency Mapping: Systematic identification of cross-functional impacts
- Stakeholder Engagement Model: Clear roles and responsibilities for design approval
- Decision Documentation: Standardized approach to capturing design rationale
- Escalation Paths: Defined process for resolving conflicting requirements
- Progress Tracking: Transparent reporting on design readiness across the program
Implementation Approach
- Initially attempted analytical, spreadsheet-based approach which proved insufficient
- Pivoted to relationship-based governance model emphasizing stakeholder engagement
- Personally ensured compliance through direct, consistent follow-up with workstream leads
- Facilitated cross-team discussions to proactively identify and resolve conflicts
- Established regular cadence of design reviews with appropriate technical expertise
- Built trust through consistent demonstration of technical understanding and process fairness
Results & Impact
The design governance initiative delivered significant improvements to the banking transformation program:
Operational Improvements
- Reduction in design-related delays
- Decrease in cross-workstream conflicts identified late in the process
- Improvement in design documentation quality and consistency
- Reduction in rework due to misaligned design decisions
Business Outcomes
- Accelerated overall program delivery timeline
- Enhanced quality of the transformed banking platform
- Improved cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Reduced implementation risk through early identification of issues
- Created architectural consistency across the platform
- Established sustainable governance model for future technical initiatives
- Received formal recognition from the client at program conclusion
Key Lessons
- Relationships Matter More Than Tools: Personal engagement proved more effective than sophisticated documentation
- Active Facilitation Drives Alignment: Direct involvement in cross-team communication was essential
- Technical Credibility Enhances Process Acceptance: Understanding the underlying technology built trust
- Flexibility in Approach Yields Results: Willingness to pivot from analytical to relationship-based model was crucial
- Persistence and Consistency Create Momentum: Regular, dependable follow-through established process credibility
