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Migrating to the cloud is a pivotal journey that demands meticulous planning, expertise, and a thorough understanding of an organization’s readiness. AWS Partners have several paths to conduct a cloud readiness consulting assessment for their clients:
For partners who prefer AWS to handle the assessment, they can collaborate with AWS migration solutions architects who can facilitate the workshop. Alternatively, those wishing to conduct the workshop independently can utilize the Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA), with all necessary resources and materials available through AWS Partner Central (login required).
For AWS Partners, conducting a cloud readiness assessment is a crucial step in guiding customers through their cloud migration. However, performing an assessment without a systematic approach may result in incomplete findings and overlooked opportunities. This article provides a comprehensive checklist of recommended activities that AWS Partners can follow during a cloud readiness assessment, divided into two primary sections:
- Section 1 focuses on the workshop activities, outlining guidelines and a checklist for executing a successful cloud readiness assessment workshop.
- Section 2 explores the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework and its application in assessing a business’s cloud readiness.
By adhering to these guidelines, AWS Partners can deliver high-quality assessments that provide significant value to their customers.
Section 1: Workshop Activities Checklist
Process and Artifacts
Define and Document the Cloud Readiness Assessment Process
The first step in the assessment is to utilize a clearly defined and documented readiness assessment process, which is essential for a successful cloud readiness assessment (CRA). AWS Partners should detail the steps, activities, and timelines for each task, ensuring a clear roadmap for the entire assessment. The process should also delineate the roles and responsibilities of team members involved in the assessment.
Create a Delivery Guide
A delivery guide is crucial for the AWS Partner’s team, offering clear instructions on conducting the assessment. This standardized playbook helps maintain consistency and minimizes the chances of overlooking critical steps.
Provide Pre-Assessment Questions
Before the workshop, it is beneficial to share pre-assessment questions with customer attendees. This information serves as a baseline understanding of the customer’s current situation, encompassing IT infrastructure, applications, and business objectives, allowing AWS Partners to customize the workshop to address specific customer needs.
Communicate Timelines and Milestones
Effective communication regarding timelines and milestones is crucial for a successful assessment. Both the partner and customer need to be informed about when pre-workshop activities are due, the workshop date, readout meeting, and any other significant milestones.
Document User Guides for Tools
If tools are employed during the assessment, AWS Partners should provide user guides to the attendees, ensuring they can use the tools effectively, which enhances the overall workshop experience. By simplifying tool usage, attendees can concentrate on providing valuable insights.
Standardize Workshop Content
To ensure consistency across assessments, all content used during the workshop, including presentation slides and documents, should be standardized. Refer to Section 2 for the topics that should be covered during the actual workshop.
Create Clear Action Items
The assessment’s final output should consist of a prioritized list of actionable items. Each recommendation should be formulated based on the assessment’s findings and shared with all participants, empowering the customer to take necessary steps toward a successful cloud migration.
Communication
Clarify the Value of the Cloud Readiness Assessment
It is essential to explicitly communicate the benefits of the cloud readiness assessment to the customer, ensuring all stakeholders grasp its strategic importance in identifying the customer’s preparedness for cloud migration while uncovering planning gaps.
Meet with Executive Sponsor and Coordinator
An initial alignment meeting with the executive sponsor and coordinator from the customer’s team is vital. This meeting allows AWS Partners to outline the assessment’s objectives, comprehend the customer’s current status, and align desired outcomes. The executive sponsor’s involvement is crucial as they can endorse and support the assessment process.
Set Workshop Expectations
Clearly articulating workshop expectations to attendees fosters a collaborative environment. Participants should understand the workshop’s aims, expected outcomes, and how their contributions will impact the assessment.
Organization and Coordination
Define Attendee Roles Clearly
To ensure a fruitful assessment, all required attendee roles must be clearly defined and communicated. These roles may include representatives from various business units, IT departments, and other critical stakeholders.
Develop a Detailed Agenda
Creating and sharing a detailed workshop agenda with the sponsor and attendees helps set expectations regarding the assessment’s structure and activities. A well-organized agenda enables AWS Partners to stay focused and cover all necessary topics.
Achieve Consensus among Participants
During the workshop, achieving consensus on each assessment question rating is vital. Partners should facilitate open discussions, ensuring all perspectives are acknowledged. Consensus-building creates a collaborative atmosphere that yields comprehensive insights.
Reporting and Charts
Providing comprehensive reports and charts based on questionnaire ratings, notes, and comments offers visual insights into the assessment findings and the organization’s cloud readiness, making it easier for stakeholders to understand the results.
People
Appoint a Skilled Facilitator
Choosing a solutions architect or technical consultant with cloud migration expertise as the primary facilitator is crucial. The facilitator should be adept at conducting assessments and guiding discussions effectively. An experienced facilitator ensures the workshop maintains a serious tone, keeping it on track and focused.
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