Why do organisations often prioritise platform changes over operating model fixes?

Organisations often see platform changes as a tangible, high-profile solution, promising immediate results with marketing appeal. Fixing an operating model is less visible, requires significant internal effort, and often confronts existing power structures, making it a harder internal sell despite its long-term benefits.

How can we convince stakeholders to focus on operating model improvements first?

Demonstrate the direct cost of current inefficiencies using hard data, quantify delays, rework, and missed opportunities. Present clear before-and-after scenarios for process improvements, highlighting operational efficiency gains and cost savings that a new platform alone cannot deliver without these prerequisite changes.

What specific metrics should we use to assess our operating model's health?

Key metrics include cycle time for critical processes (e.g., product launch, order fulfilment), lead time for decision-making, error rates in key data sets (e.g., product information, customer records), employee satisfaction within core teams, and the frequency of production incidents attributed to internal process failures.

Can a new platform ever fix some operating model issues?

To a limited extent, yes. A well-implemented platform can force process standardisation and improve data consistency by design. However, without conscious effort to redefine roles, responsibilities, and governance, these benefits are often partial and eventually undermined by underlying organisational dysfunction. A platform is a tool, not a strategy.

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Issue 033Field NoteGovernanceRef 148

Why platform debates waste time when the operating model is broken

Organisations often focus on technology solutions while fundamental operational issues remain unaddressed. This misdirection diverts resources without resolving the root causes of underperformance.

Tom Williams· Head of Development

21 Mar 20254 min readReviewed March 2025

"If the operating model is broken, a new platform becomes merely an expensive new location for old problems."

Written by

Tom Williams

Head of Development

10 years at iWeb

LinkedIn →Speak with Tom about your brief →

Tom heads the development team at iWeb and leads the data practice across PIM, search relevance, product data and operational commerce systems. He writes about migration economics, punchout, catalogue structure, order-management complexity, and the product-data decisions that quietly shape platform performance long before launch. Particularly focused on B2B operational reality and AI-ready commerce data.

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