REF·0481 / ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE TARGET STATE · PATH TO GREEN
Enterprise Architecture & IT Turnaround Advisory

I rescue distressed IT landscapes and architect post‑merger integrations.

When technical debt, legacy systems, and post‑acquisition gridlock threaten your valuation, I parachute in to audit the mess, rationalize the portfolio, and force a path to green.

Request a Triage Audit See where it breaks
AUDIT · RATIONALIZE · REMEDIATE · GOVERN SCHONING.COM
The Problem

Transformations do not fail because of bad code. They fail because of broken architecture.

Whether you are a Private Equity Operating Partner inheriting a post-merger IT disaster, or a CIO watching a multi-million dollar digital transformation grind to a halt, the root cause is rarely the developers.

It is a fundamentally broken enterprise architecture.

You do not need another systems integrator. You need an objective, ruthless agent of change to stop the bleeding, cut the bloat, and engineer a scalable target state.

Current State · Critical FINDINGS · 05
  • Internal teams become politically entangled.
  • Systems integrators point fingers.
  • Redundant applications bleed cash.
  • Legacy mainframes hold critical business logic hostage.
  • New AI initiatives create massive compliance exposure because there is no governance.
The Practice

Intervention & Architecture Services

I

Enterprise Turnarounds & M&A Restructuring

For PE-backed companies, post-merger integrations, and distressed IT landscapes.

  • Enterprise IT Landscape Turnaround: Systemic triage of underwater IT environments. I build the Application Rationalization "kill list" to eliminate redundant systems and reduce run-costs.

  • Post-Acquisition Architecture Debt Diagnostic: A 14-to-21 day forensic audit of a newly acquired company to identify hidden legacy risks before they destroy exit multiples.

II

"Red Project" Rescue & Risk Diagnostics

For failing transformations, cloud migrations, and legacy system retirements.

  • "Red Project" Architecture Rescue: Emergency intervention for high-stakes projects that are over budget or technically gridlocked. I freeze the architecture, identify the fatal flaws, and enforce a remediation blueprint.

  • Legacy Logic Preservation (COBOL/Mainframe): Before shutting down legacy mainframes, I assess the risk and design output-compatible modernization strategies to ensure decades of hidden business logic are not lost.

  • AI Architecture Risk Audit: Identifying hallucination, data leakage, and compliance risks before AI initiatives are pushed into production in regulated environments.

III

Architecture Foundations & Interim Leadership

For organizations lacking enterprise-grade IT governance.

  • Interim Chief Architect: I step in to lead your architecture practice, establishing strict governance and stabilizing inflight projects while you search for a full-time hire.

  • EA Repository & Governance Implementation: Moving your organization from scattered diagrams to a single source of truth. I define the metamodel, establish the Architecture Review Board (ARB), and enforce stage-gates for all future IT spend.

The Methodology

The Turnaround Methodology

I do not sell theoretical frameworks or endless consulting hours. I operate in highly focused, outcome-driven sprints.

SEQUENCE · 01 → 03
01 Days 1–14

Systemic Triage

I bypass internal politics to conduct an unvarnished forensic audit of your architecture, legacy systems, and inflight projects. I identify the critical failure points and immediate financial leaks.

02 Days 15–30

The Rationalization Blueprint

I deliver a ruthless, objective path to green. This includes dictating exactly which redundant systems to kill, which legacy platforms to quarantine, and how to restructure vendor integrations.

03 Ongoing

Execution & Governance

I establish the Target State Architecture and serve as the Interim Chief Architect to enforce it. I act as the "bad cop," forcing internal teams and external vendors to execute the blueprint without emotional attachment to old systems.

Franz Schöning, Principal Enterprise Architect
PRINCIPAL · ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT
About the Architect

Franz Schöning

Principal Enterprise Architect & Turnaround Advisor


With decades of experience spanning regulated financial systems, enterprise Java, COBOL/Mainframe modernization, and AI governance, I serve as a strategic advisor to CIOs, CTOs, and Private Equity Operating Partners.

I specialize in the hardest problems in enterprise IT: post-merger system gridlock, failing digital transformations, and the safe modernization of deeply embedded legacy logic.

Operating at the intersection of board-level business strategy and deep technical engineering, my mandate is simple: protect the investment, eliminate architectural debt, and build systems that scale safely.

Engagement

Stop the bleeding. Secure the architecture.

Schedule a confidential Triage Call.