Strategic Development and Operationalization for an Internal Cybersecurity Program
Problem
A multi-national business software company was looking to sunset a long-running internal program focusing on key cybersecurity threats. The program served its purpose—holding key stakeholders from across the business accountable for tactical remediation plans—but as threats evolved, it needed to be replaced by a more strategy-oriented program. With many different units all utilizing the existing program and no clearly defined parameters for the new program, they understood the transition would be complex and brought in Excelerate.
Approach
Excelerate began with a clear focus on defining measurable exit criteria for the existing program’s active workstreams and formulating plans to either resolve or transition work to the new program. This required assembling stakeholders to define the desired future state for the new program and to identify the necessary work, priorities, and resources required to deliver it.
With this information in hand, Excelerate then focused on chartering the new program to support key objectives, realigning existing processes as much as possible while drawing attention to additional steps necessary to achieve this goal. Ultimately, Excelerate provided the client with reporting dashboards, project and initiative level summary documents, process documentation, socialization decks, roadmaking workshop outputs, and executive level briefings and updates. Taken together, these deliverables helped the client not only establish the new program but also socialize and monitor it.
Results
The existing program is currently in its final closing stages, closely hewing to the roadmap Excelerate provided. Furthermore, the new strategy-oriented program has been defined and established, with initial strategic risk workstreams gaining momentum with the new program structure.
Working with Excelerate, the client thoughtfully sunset a program that no longer met today’s demands and deliberately operationalized one that does. With so many workstreams and units to manage, Excelerate helped the client through what could have been a cumbersome transition with confidence.