Cloud Strategies A Complete Guide - 2021 Edition

Cloud Strategies are the backbone of modern digital enterprises, yet many organizations lack a clear, repeatable process to evaluate, design, and sustain them. Rapid adoption, fragmented tools, and unclear governance often lead to costly rework, security gaps, and missed performance targets.

The book delivers a structured Self-Assessment based on the RDMAICS framework (Recognize, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, Sustain). The RDMAICS model guides users through a logical flow starting with Recognize - identifying current cloud footprints, then Define - articulating goals and scope, Measure - collecting baseline performance data, Analyze - comparing results against benchmarks, Improve - planning targeted initiatives, Control - establishing governance controls, and Sustain - embedding continuous improvement cycles. Each of the seven criteria contains dozens of targeted questions about Cloud Strategies. Readers score each question on a 1-5 scale, and the responses generate a radar-chart Scorecard that instantly highlights the exact areas requiring attention. The method is simple enough for teams with limited Cloud Strategies experience yet robust enough to satisfy senior leadership, and it enables quick benchmarking against industry best practices.

Included Professional Toolkit (40-48 Practitioner Tools): A fresh, up-to-date implementation kit is generated at the time of purchase. The toolkit is organized into ten sections - Getting Started, Assessment and Planning, Models and Frameworks, Processes and Handoffs, Operations and Execution, Performance and KPIs, Quality and Compliance, Sustainment and Support, Advanced Topics, and Reference. It contains more than 30 deliverables in Excel, PDF, and markdown formats, all tailored to Cloud Strategies. Highlights include maturity assessments with improvement pathways, gap analyses, decision-making frameworks with scoring criteria, implementation roadmaps, stakeholder maps, process runbooks, KPI dashboard templates, risk matrices, audit checklists, quick-reference cards, a Cloud Strategy Canvas, Service Catalog template, Migration Playbook, Governance Charter, SLA template, Cost-Optimization worksheet, and detailed guidance notes. Each of the roughly 28 Excel spreadsheets provides three sheets (Instructions, Template, Pro Tips & Common Mistakes). Each of the 16 PDF guides includes Pro Tips, Common Mistakes, and a Quick Reference section. All tools are specific to Cloud Strategies and ready for immediate use.

Every purchase also grants Lifetime Updates. As Cloud Strategies evolve, the author will deliver refreshed content and updated toolkit files, including new standards, emerging frameworks, and expanded KPI sets. Updates are sent electronically, ensuring buyers always have the most current guidance without additional cost.

This guide is ideal for Cloud Architects who need a disciplined assessment process, for Compliance Managers tasked with aligning cloud governance to internal policies, and for IT Project Leaders who must plan and execute cloud migrations on tight schedules. A CIO preparing a board briefing can use the scorecard to illustrate current maturity, then apply the toolkit's governance charter and KPI dashboard to demonstrate a clear path toward strategic objectives. Likewise, a Cloud Operations Manager responsible for day-to-day service delivery can leverage the risk matrix and audit checklist to maintain continuous compliance.

Developed by The Art of Service, business process architects serving over 100,000 professionals across 160 countries since 2000. Every book and toolkit draws on 25 years of operational excellence research and a continuously updated knowledge base spanning hundreds of industry frameworks.