Learning case library

Cases and tasks for learning

Browse cases, pick the right tasks and share them as links or embeds in your LMS.

6

cases ready

68

tasks published

Cases

Ohjelma
Bike Lease Finland

Bike Lease Finland

Leasing and maintenance of employee bicycles, digital services.

Ohjelma
Excelence Solutions

Excelence Solutions

Consulting and data analytics, expert services and consulting.

Ohjelma
Finnish Timber Oy

Finnish Timber Oy

Ecological log buildings and construction site processes, project business.

Ohjelma
Green Scape

Green Scape

Customized green wall services for B2B clients, service business.

Ohjelma
Marine Craft

Marine Craft

Customized motorboats, project delivery, manufacturing industry.

Ohjelma
Scandinavian Design

Scandinavian Design

Leasing and maintenance of company bicycles, digital services.

Task

Guidelines for Target Architecture



In this task, the student outlines a target architecture for the case company for the next 3–5 years. They first briefly describe the current state and then what the customer journey, key processes, and systems could look like in the target state. The student assesses the benefits and challenges of the change and summarizes the guidelines upon which the company could build its development program. The task supports the ability to think about business and systems as a whole, not as separate components.

Learning objectives

After completing the task, the student:
1. Can describe the current operating model and system architecture of the case company concisely.
2. Can outline a realistic target state for the next 3–5 years from the perspective of the customer journey, processes, and system architecture.
3. Can identify and justify what benefits and challenges the transition to the target state would bring.
4. Understands how business development and system solutions are related.

Step by step

  1. Target architecture guidelines

    Objective:
    The objective of this assignment is for the student to outline a simple target state for the case company 3–5 years into the future: what the company’s operating model and system architecture could look like at that time. The analysis is based on the customer journey, key processes and the systems that support them.

    Material:

    • The case description of the selected case company from the learning material.

    • Any descriptions of the customer journey, processes or systems previously created during the course (if applicable).

    • The assignment is based on the information in the case description and moderate assumptions about the company’s development.

    Assignment process (instructions for the student):

    1. Briefly describe the current state of the case company
      Write a ½-page description of the case company’s current operating model and system landscape:

      • what a typical customer journey looks like (how the customer finds, buys and uses the service)

      • what the key business processes are

      • what systems and tools the company uses (e.g. order system, customer register, spreadsheets, manual work).

    2. Define the target timeframe and direction
      Select the timeframe for the analysis (e.g. “in 2029” or “3–5 years from now”).
      Write briefly:

      • in which direction the company is likely to develop (e.g. growth, efficiency, better customer experience, digitalisation)

      • which two to three factors drive the change (e.g. competition, customer expectations, legislation).

    3. Outline the customer journey in the target state
      Describe a 6–8 step customer journey projected 3–5 years ahead:

      • how the customer finds the company

      • how they interact and make a decision

      • how the service or product is delivered

      • how aftercare and relationship maintenance work.
        Highlight in particular:

      • what is new or different for the customer compared to the current state (e.g. self-service, speed, transparency, multichannel experience).

    4. Describe the key process changes
      Choose 2–3 important processes for the case company (e.g. order–delivery, customer relationship management, service production) and describe how they would be organised in the target state:

      • which steps have been automated, simplified or combined

      • where roles and responsibilities have been clarified

      • how the processes support better customer experience and efficiency.

    5. Outline the target system architecture
      Describe verbally what systems and tools form the target-state landscape:

      • which systems are “core systems” (e.g. ERP, CRM, online store)

      • what support systems exist (e.g. reporting, communication, project classification)

      • how the systems interact with each other (e.g. integrations, transfer of information without manual double-entry).
        You may briefly compare with the current state: which systems are removed, what is added and what role manual work has.

    6. Assess the impacts and prerequisites of the change
      Write a ½–1 page reflection on:

      • what benefits the target operating model and systems would bring to the customer (e.g. speed, ease, quality, transparency)

      • what benefits they would bring to the company (e.g. efficiency, better insights, fewer errors)

      • what challenges or risks are related to the change (e.g. costs, need for new competences, resistance to change)

      • which steps the company should take first to move toward the target state.

    7. Summarise the guiding principles of the target architecture
      Write a final summary of 5–7 sentences, in which you outline:

      • what the company’s operating model and system landscape will look like in 3–5 years

      • what the biggest change is from the customer’s perspective

      • what the biggest change is in the company’s internal operations.

    Submission and evaluation:
    Submit a 2–3 page text that shows:

    • a description of the current state of the case company

    • the customer journey, processes and systems in the target state

    • justifications for the changes as well as an assessment of impacts and challenges

    • a concise summary of the guiding principles of the target architecture.

    In the evaluation, attention will be given to how well you:

    • distinguish between the current state and the target state

    • describe changes in the customer journey, processes and systems logically

    • identify both benefits and challenges

    • write clearly and make realistic assumptions suitable for the case company.

    Recommended working time: approximately 60–90 minutes, individually or in pairs.

Tasks by audience and theme

University of applied sciences

Polytechnics and higher education studies.

68 tasks