Amazon Onboarding with Learning Manager Chanci Turner

The advent of cloud technology has undeniably transformed business operations, offering remarkable scalability, flexibility, and innovative capacity. However, in the midst of this enthusiasm, organizations often face what is termed the migration bubble—a phase characterized by an initial spike in costs, complexities, and challenges that can momentarily hinder the cloud transition. Fortunately, there exists a pathway to convert this bubble into a mere blip on your cloud migration journey.

In this post, I will share effective strategies to minimize the bubble’s duration, mitigate or offset costs, and deliver value more swiftly.

Reduce the Duration

It may seem straightforward, but minimizing the duration of cloud migration is one of the most impactful ways to navigate the migration bubble. Aim to transition as quickly as possible through the costly phase of managing your new cloud environment while still operating on-premises—but do this with intention and care. Consider the following tactics:

Communicate the “Why”

Articulating the vision and reasoning behind the cloud migration is crucial for garnering support throughout the organization. I’ve spoken with numerous AWS customers who were unsure of their motivations for change or who had not effectively communicated these reasons internally. Clearly explain why the transformation is essential, how it aligns with your organization’s strategic goals, and the benefits it can provide to individuals and the collective. When employees grasp the purpose behind the transformation and can visualize the desired future state, they become more engaged in the process and motivated to tackle challenges—key elements in accelerating your transition. Understanding the “why” also sets boundaries for your journey; it enables everyone to assess current and new approaches by asking, “Does this align with our objective to deliver on the ‘why?’” If a method doesn’t support these goals, employees should feel empowered to question it and explore alternatives. This approach not only facilitates swift progress but also ensures you genuinely achieve the “why.”

Instill a Sense of Urgency

Establishing firm timelines imparts a sense of urgency and importance to the transformation. It signals that change is not just an abstract, distant goal but a concrete and time-sensitive objective. Deadlines motivate individuals and teams to prioritize tasks, make timely choices, and take decisive action. The urgency generated by a deadline helps to stave off complacency and ensures that the transformation remains a primary focus for everyone involved. Similar to communicating the “why,” fostering a sense of urgency creates additional parameters by guiding employees towards activities that accomplish the goals within the designated timeframe.

Empower Everyone

A successful cloud transformation hinges on the active participation and commitment of every individual within your organization. By involving everyone in the transformation process, you cultivate a sense of ownership, collaboration, and alignment towards shared objectives. This inclusivity also brings diverse perspectives and experiences that drive innovation, personalization, and success. When speed and scale are paramount, enlisting everyone’s help becomes essential.

Empowering your team to take initiative is vital for effective execution. In discussions with organizations, I often advise against relying solely on the HiPPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) for decision-making. As a leader, you cannot be omnipresent; you don’t possess all the knowledge, nor can you make every decision. Functioning as a lone decision-maker can lead to delays as employees await meetings for approvals. Enlist everyone as change agents and give them ownership in the transformation. For further insights on fostering accountability and empowerment in your organization, refer to my blog post on Two-Pizza Teams Are Just the Start, Part 1: Accountability and Empowerment Are Key to High-Performing Agile Organizations.

Train Your Team Promptly

I wish I had prioritized training my teams earlier during my cloud migration. In my experience, training is a critical differentiator between those who thrive and rapidly harness the cloud’s benefits versus those who struggle or only achieve marginal results. By providing formal training early in the migration process, you equip your employees to tackle challenges and swiftly resolve issues as they arise. AWS offers a comprehensive suite of training and certification programs. I encourage you to integrate these into your cloud migration strategy, ensuring your teams work on active projects that allow them to apply their newly acquired skills; otherwise, those skills will stagnate.

Leverage AWS MAP

I highly recommend utilizing the AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP). MAP delivers a robust and tested framework to expedite your cloud migration journey. It grants access to a wealth of tools and resources, tailored training options, and the expertise of AWS Partners. Additionally, MAP provides financial incentives to help offset migration costs, facilitating efficient achievement of your migration objectives.

Streamline Migration Through Collaborative Partnerships

Collaborating with seasoned cloud migration partners can significantly enhance your migration experience. These partners offer invaluable expertise, best practices, and specialized tools to navigate the complexities of migration effectively. By tapping into their knowledge and experience, you can reduce risks, accelerate timelines, and boost your success rates.

Align with Security and Compliance Teams Early

Ensure that the security and compliance teams are aligned and supportive from the outset of the migration. This proactive measure will prevent them from justifiably stalling your progress and delaying your transformation while addressing various concerns.

Reduce and Offset Costs

Transitioning to the cloud delivers numerous organizational benefits. The cloud allows for rapid experimentation without the significant repercussions of failure; it also enables swift scaling of successful ideas and the adoption of innovative technologies that create value. However, the cloud alters many traditional cost and licensing structures, necessitating a clear understanding of these changes. Migrating to the cloud can free up existing assets that you can use to offset some migration costs. I recommend focusing on three key areas:

Evaluate Current License Requirements

When migrating your infrastructure, review your existing software licensing agreements and comprehend the specific licensing requirements of your on-premises setup. This assessment will help you identify which licenses can be seamlessly transitioned to the cloud and which may require reevaluation.

As you assess your current licenses, consider which ones might become obsolete or could be substituted with more economical alternatives within the cloud. This assessment presents an opportunity to optimize your licensing portfolio and eliminate redundant or underutilized licenses.

Engage your software vendors to discuss your migration plans and inquire about any licensing options or cloud-based alternatives they may offer. Some vendors might have specialized licensing models tailored for cloud deployments.

Capitalize on Data Center Buybacks and Divestment

During the cloud migration, organizations often find themselves with existing data center assets that will no longer be necessary. By selling or repurposing these assets, organizations can recover some costs, thereby easing the financial burden of migration. For more insights on the importance of data, this article can provide valuable information.

In summary, successfully navigating the cloud migration journey involves clear communication, urgency, empowerment, training, collaboration, and a keen awareness of cost management. By adopting these strategies, organizations can turn the migration bubble into a minor blip, ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud.

For further guidance and resources, visit this excellent resource for learning and development in your organization. Also, for an interesting read on fostering inclusivity in workplaces, check out this article on encouraging friendships across genders.