Flevy Management Insights Case Study
Platform Strategy Development for Professional Services Firm in Digital Transformation


Fortune 500 companies typically bring on global consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture, or boutique consulting firms specializing in Platform Strategy to thoroughly analyze their unique business challenges and competitive situations. These firms provide strategic recommendations based on consulting frameworks, subject matter expertise, benchmark data, KPIs, best practices, and other tools developed from past client work. We followed this management consulting approach for this case study.

TLDR A mid-sized professional services firm faced stagnation due to an outdated platform strategy, increased competition, and inefficiencies in project delivery. By revitalizing its platform strategy and adopting Agile Project Management, the firm achieved a 15% increase in client engagement and a 20% revenue boost from new services, highlighting the importance of aligning offerings with customer needs and enhancing operational efficiency.

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Consider this scenario: A mid-sized professional services firm specializing in digital transformation solutions is encountering stagnation in its growth trajectory, primarily due to an outdated platform strategy.

Externally, the organization faces a 20% increase in competition from new entrants leveraging advanced technologies and a 15% decline in client retention rates. Internally, the challenge includes a 30% inefficiency in project delivery times and a noticeable skills gap in emerging technologies. The primary strategic objective of the organization is to revitalize its platform strategy to regain competitive edge and achieve sustainable growth in the digital transformation market.



The professional services firm in question has reached a critical juncture where its traditional models of operation are no longer sufficient to secure its market position or ensure its future growth. The rapid evolution of digital technologies and changing client expectations suggest that the organization's challenges stem from its slow pace of innovation and adaptation, alongside an internal culture resistant to change.

Environmental Analysis

The digital transformation services industry is experiencing exponential growth as businesses across sectors seek to adapt to the digital age. However, this growth is accompanied by heightened competition and fast-evolving client demands.

Examining the competitive landscape reveals:

  • Internal Rivalry: Intense, due to the proliferation of both specialized boutiques and global consultancy firms.
  • Supplier Power: Moderate, with a growing number of technology providers offering innovative solutions.
  • Buyer Power: High, as clients have a wide range of service providers to choose from.
  • Threat of New Entrants: High, given the low barriers to entry for digital-based services.
  • Threat of Substitutes: Moderate, but increasing as DIY digital transformation tools become more sophisticated.

Emergent trends include a shift towards AI and machine learning technologies, the rise of cloud computing, and an increased focus on cybersecurity. These trends signal significant changes in industry dynamics, presenting both opportunities and risks:

  • Increasing demand for cybersecurity solutions presents an opportunity for service expansion but requires significant investment in skills and technologies.
  • The shift towards cloud computing offers the chance to develop new service offerings but risks obsolescence of traditional IT consultancy services.

A PESTLE analysis indicates that technological advancements and regulatory changes around data protection are the most significant external factors impacting the industry, necessitating continuous adaptation and innovation from firms.

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Internal Assessment

The organization is recognized for its expertise in digital strategy and has a solid client base. However, it struggles with integrating new technologies and adapting its service offerings at the pace the market demands.

SWOT Analysis

The organization's strengths lie in its established reputation and client relationships. Opportunities for growth are evident in expanding service offerings to include emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. Weaknesses include slow project delivery and a skills gap in new technologies, posing a threat from more agile and technologically advanced competitors.

Distinctive Capabilities Analysis

Success hinges on the organization's ability to innovate and adapt its platform strategy to meet evolving client needs. Currently, the organization's capabilities in traditional digital transformation consulting are strong, but it needs to develop capabilities in emerging technologies and agile methodologies to stay competitive.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Revitalize Platform Strategy: Redefine the organization’s platform strategy to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies and service methodologies, aiming to enhance client value delivery and operational efficiency. This initiative will harness the power of AI, data analytics, and cloud computing to offer differentiated services. The expected value creation lies in improved client satisfaction and retention, increased market share, and higher profitability. This will require investment in technology partnerships, training, and development programs.
  • Agility and Innovation in Service Delivery: Implement agile project management methodologies and foster a culture of continuous innovation within the organization. This aims to reduce project delivery times by 25% and increase the rate of new service development. The source of value comes from increased operational efficiency and the ability to rapidly respond to market changes. Resources needed include training programs and a restructuring of project management processes.

Platform Strategy Implementation KPIs

KPIS are crucial throughout the implementation process. They provide quantifiable checkpoints to validate the alignment of operational activities with our strategic goals, ensuring that execution is not just activity-driven, but results-oriented. Further, these KPIs act as early indicators of progress or deviation, enabling agile decision-making and course correction if needed.


If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.
     – Lord Kelvin

  • Client Retention Rate: This KPI will measure the effectiveness of the new platform strategy in delivering value that meets or exceeds client expectations.
  • Project Delivery Time: Monitoring this KPI will help assess improvements in operational efficiency resulting from the adoption of agile methodologies.

These KPIs will provide insights into the immediate impact of the strategic initiatives on client satisfaction and operational performance, guiding further adjustments to the strategy as needed.

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Platform Strategy Best Practices

To improve the effectiveness of implementation, we can leverage best practice documents in Platform Strategy. These resources below were developed by management consulting firms and Platform Strategy subject matter experts.

Platform Strategy Deliverables

These are a selection of deliverables across all the strategic initiatives.

  • Revised Platform Strategy Report (PPT)
  • Agile Methodology Implementation Plan (PPT)
  • Technology Partnership Roadmap (PPT)
  • Training and Development Framework (PPT)

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Revitalize Platform Strategy

The organization opted for the Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) and the Core Competence Model (CCM) to guide the revitalization of its platform strategy. The VPC, developed by Alexander Osterwalder, is a tool that ensures a product or service fits the customer’s needs and jobs-to-be-done. It was instrumental in aligning the organization's digital transformation services with the evolving needs of its clientele. The organization undertook the following steps:

  • Mapped out the customer profiles for its key segments to understand their most significant jobs-to-be-done, pains, and gains.
  • Adjusted the platform's features and services to directly address the identified customer pains and gains, ensuring a better product-market fit.

The Core Competence Model, introduced by Prahalad and Hamel, helped the organization identify and leverage its unique strengths and resources to provide unparalleled value through its platform. This model was critical in distinguishing the organization from its competitors by focusing on what it does best. The implementation process included:

  • Conducting an internal audit to pinpoint the organization’s core competencies in digital transformation consulting and technology integration.
  • Aligning these core competencies with the platform strategy to ensure that the platform uniquely reflected the organization's strengths.

By implementing the Value Proposition Canvas, the organization successfully refined its platform offerings to better meet customer needs, resulting in a 15% increase in client engagement within the first quarter post-implementation. The Core Competence Model allowed the organization to streamline its resources towards its strengths, leading to a more focused and effective platform strategy that contributed to a 10% improvement in project delivery efficiency.

Agility and Innovation in Service Delivery

To enhance agility and innovation in service delivery, the organization turned to the Agile Project Management (APM) framework and the Innovation Ambition Matrix. APM, with its emphasis on iterative development and customer feedback, was pivotal in reducing project delivery times. The organization executed the following actions:

  • Adopted Scrum and Kanban methodologies across all project teams, breaking down projects into smaller, manageable tasks with regular reviews and adaptations.
  • Implemented cross-functional teams to improve communication and collaboration, ensuring that customer feedback was quickly incorporated into service delivery.

The Innovation Ambition Matrix, a framework for categorizing and pursuing different types of innovation, guided the organization in balancing its innovation efforts between core, adjacent, and transformational innovations. This strategic approach to innovation was executed through:

  • Identifying and prioritizing innovation projects across the three categories based on their potential impact and alignment with the organization’s strategic goals.
  • Allocating resources accordingly, with a clear focus on developing new, high-value service offerings that could drive future growth.

The adoption of Agile Project Management led to a 25% reduction in project delivery times, significantly enhancing client satisfaction and repeat business. Meanwhile, the strategic application of the Innovation Ambition Matrix enabled the organization to launch two new service lines within a year, contributing to a 20% increase in revenue from new offerings. These frameworks together fostered a culture of agility and continuous innovation, positioning the organization for sustained growth in the competitive digital transformation market.

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Key Findings and Results

Here is a summary of the key results of this case study:

  • Client engagement increased by 15% following the implementation of the Value Proposition Canvas to refine platform offerings.
  • Project delivery efficiency improved by 10% due to the alignment of core competencies with the platform strategy.
  • Adoption of Agile Project Management methodologies led to a 25% reduction in project delivery times.
  • Launched two new service lines within a year, resulting in a 20% increase in revenue from these offerings.

The strategic initiatives undertaken by the organization to revitalize its platform strategy and enhance agility and innovation in service delivery have yielded significant results. The 15% increase in client engagement and the 10% improvement in project delivery efficiency are direct outcomes of aligning the organization's service offerings more closely with customer needs and leveraging its core competencies effectively. The 25% reduction in project delivery times and the launch of two new service lines, contributing to a 20% revenue increase from these offerings, underscore the success of adopting Agile methodologies and a strategic approach to innovation. However, while these results are commendable, the implementation faced challenges, particularly in fully bridging the skills gap in emerging technologies and achieving the desired pace of innovation. The organization's internal culture of resistance to change remained a barrier, suggesting that more focused efforts on change management and skills development could have enhanced outcomes.

For next steps, it is recommended that the organization continues to build on its strategic initiatives by further investing in training and development programs to close the skills gap in emerging technologies. Additionally, a more aggressive approach to change management should be adopted to address the internal resistance to change. Expanding partnerships with technology providers could also accelerate the pace of innovation and adoption of new technologies. Finally, regular reviews of the strategic initiatives should be institutionalized to ensure they remain aligned with evolving market demands and organizational capabilities.

Source: Platform Strategy Development for Professional Services Firm in Digital Transformation, Flevy Management Insights, 2024

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