Life cycle management: What happens after the solution is built
Most budgets cover development. But most of the value, and most of the bill, comes after launch. Heini Joensen explains why life cycle management is a leadership topic.
When I talk to leaders about new IT solutions, the conversation is almost always about the same two things: What does it cost to build, and when will it be ready? Those are good questions. But they only cover a small part of the time the solution will live. Most of the value, and most of the bill, comes after launch.
That is what life cycle management is about. I have just joined BCT as Senior Account Executive, and this is one of the topics I expect to discuss most often with customers. So I want to explain what it means, and why it belongs in the very first meeting.
What is life cycle management?
Life cycle management means planning the whole life of a solution, not just the first version. A solution typically goes through five phases:
- Idea and clarification: Which problem are we solving, and what is it worth?
- Development: The solution is built and tested.
- Adoption: Employees get to know it and start using it.
- Operation and improvement: The solution is kept running, secure and up to date, and it gets better as needs change.
- Replacement: Eventually the solution is replaced or shut down, and the data is moved properly.
Most budgets cover phases 1 and 2. But phases 3 and 4 often last for many years, and that is where it is decided whether the investment pays off.
Why it is a leadership topic
A solution that is not maintained slowly gets worse. The systems around it are updated, security requirements tighten, and the business changes. In the end you have a solution nobody dares to touch, and that only one employee really understands.
With AI solutions it happens even faster. Data changes, and what gave good answers last year may give worse answers this year. So someone has to keep an eye on quality, even when the project is “finished”.
This is not a technical question. It is a question of ownership, cost and risk, and that is why it belongs with management.
People are part of the life cycle
The phase most often forgotten is adoption. A solution only creates value when people use it, and that does not happen by itself. Employees need to understand why it is there, have time to learn it and be able to speak up when something does not work.
In my experience, this is where many projects lose momentum. The technology works, but the way people work is the same as before. Good life cycle management therefore also means planning the change in the organisation and following up on it.
The most expensive part of a solution is rarely building it. The most expensive thing is a solution nobody uses, or nobody looks after.
Five questions to ask before you start
- Who is responsible for the solution once it is live?
- How often should it be updated, and what does that cost per year?
- How do we make sure employees actually start using it?
- Do we own the code and the data ourselves, so we are not locked into one vendor?
- What happens when the solution one day needs to be replaced?
How we work with it at BCT
At BCT we plan for the whole life cycle from the start. We begin with a Shadow Walk, where we follow the work as it actually happens. Then we build at a fixed price, and you own the code. Once the solution is live, a dedicated customer success manager follows it, and together with you we agree how often it should be updated and improved.
That way you know from the beginning what the solution requires, not just today, but throughout its life.
If you would like to talk about what this could look like for you, call or email me. There is no obligation.
Heini Joensen
Senior Account Executive, Black Capital Technology
hjn@blackcapitaltechnology.com · (+45) 39 39 42 43
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