Reducing technical debt is not optional and LeanIX empowers organisations to tackle it strategically, accelerating innovation and transformation.
At On Device Solutions, we help SAP-centric enterprises use LeanIX to simplify their application landscapes, reduce operational overhead, and create space for cloud-first and AI-driven transformation.
As enterprise IT estates grow more complex, legacy systems and redundant applications quietly erode budgets and slow down strategic change. LeanIX provides the visibility, structure, and governance needed to rationalise effectively and keep transformation on track.
What’s driving the need for application rationalisation?
Most organisations have accumulated IT complexity over years – through mergers, quick fixes, siloed purchases, or local workarounds. As a result, they often face:
- Multiple tools performing the same function
- Unclear ownership of systems
- High support and licence costs
- Difficulty scaling new solutions
This is known as technical debt – the drag effect caused by outdated or overlapping systems that make it harder (and more expensive) to change.
LeanIX: A smarter way to rationalise
LeanIX is a SaaS-based application portfolio management platform that helps IT and business teams:
- Build a complete view of their applications
- Align IT systems with business capabilities
- Evaluate which applications to retire, consolidate, upgrade, or keep
- Create roadmaps tied to measurable outcomes
- Collaborate with stakeholders using real-time data
At On Device Solutions, we help clients deploy and tailor LeanIX to support continuous improvement – not just one-time clean-ups.
Reducing technical debt — a step-by-step guide
Many IT leaders know they need to reduce technical debt but don’t always know where to start. That’s where LeanIX comes in. With the right approach, application rationalisation doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It’s about gaining clarity, making informed decisions, and aligning IT with business priorities.
Here’s a practical, step-by-step framework to guide your rationalisation journey using LeanIX:
- Define the scope
Begin by focusing on a specific business domain – such as HR, finance, or customer operations – where inefficiencies or redundancies are already visible. LeanIX enables targeted scoping so efforts are prioritised where they will deliver the most immediate impact.
- Centralise and enrich application data
Consolidate application information from spreadsheets, CMDBs, or other tools into a single source of truth. With LeanIX integrations, this data can be enriched with lifecycle status, ownership, usage metrics, and cost details to build a clear picture of the IT estate.
- Evaluate using a standard framework
LeanIX supports structured decision-making using models like TIME (Tolerate, Invest, Migrate, Eliminate), helping teams objectively assess each application’s technical fit and business value. This brings consistency and clarity to rationalisation efforts.
- Map applications to business capabilities
By linking applications to business capabilities, LeanIX helps organisations understand the functional role of each system. This mapping reveals overlaps, gaps, and high-dependency areas – enabling more strategic decisions that align with business goals.
- Develop a rationalisation roadmap
With a clear view of applications and capabilities, LeanIX helps build a prioritised roadmap for rationalisation. Initiatives can be sequenced to support broader programmes such as cloud adoption, cost optimisation, or SAP S/4HANA migration – ensuring IT and business stay aligned.
- Monitor progress and communicate outcomes
Real-time dashboards in LeanIX allow teams to track key metrics like cost savings, application retirements, and strategic alignment. This visibility reinforces stakeholder confidence, showcases progress, and supports continuous improvement.
Benefits beyond cost reduction
While financial savings are a key driver, LeanIX also delivers:
- Operational efficiency – fewer systems mean simpler change processes
- Lower risk – reduces exposure to outdated or unsupported tools
- Business–IT alignment – creates shared ownership and accountability
- Faster transformation – clears the way for innovation projects
Why work with On Device Solutions?
On Device Solutions has delivered enterprise architecture services for years through our Architecture-as-a-Service (AaaS) model. Our certification in SAP’s Enterprise Architecture Specialisation – along with the recent addition of LeanIX expertise – further strengthens our ability to support SAP customers in planning and executing transformation at scale.
We combine deep SAP expertise with LeanIX deployment and rationalisation know-how. Whether you’re modernising cloud infrastructure or building a more agile enterprise IT landscape, we help you:
- Gain full visibility of your application portfolio
- Reduce complexity and duplication
- Align systems with business strategy
- Deliver faster, lower-risk transformations
LeanIX enables organisations to transform their application landscapes from a tangle of legacy systems into a clean, strategic platform for innovation.
At On Device Solutions, we help turn that potential into progress.
So, if you’re looking to reduce technical debt and simplify your IT estate, contact our dedicated team and let’s start the conversation.
On Device Solutions is a trusted SAP partner helping SAP-centric enterprises mobilise, secure, and modernise their systems. We specialise in digital transformation and compliance-ready architecture design.
