Accelerating Transformation: From Project to Product in IT Services
At a glance
CLIENT
European technology provider
SERVICE
- Project to Product transformation, digital operating model, M&A consulting Industry: IT services, digital transformation
A major European technology company with more than 15,000 employees across 15 international offices struggled with long delivery cycles and low product adaptability. The organization was operating in a project-based model, where funding and priorities were allocated per initiative rather than by value streams. This led to misaligned KPIs, duplicated efforts, and limited ability to scale.
To stay competitive in the digital economy, the client needed to shift from project delivery to a product-centric operating model. LeanCoded was engaged to design and implement a structured Project to Product strategy, enabling faster time-to-market, measurable business outcomes, and a unified product mindset across engineering and business teams.
Building a Product-Centric Operating Model
LeanCoded introduced a Project to Product transformation framework that restructured IT around value streams. Instead of funding short-term initiatives, budgets were aligned with long-term product ownership. Dedicated cross-functional teams were formed, integrating business analysts, developers, QA, and operations under one product management structure.
This approach reduced dependencies between departments and established clear accountability for end-to-end delivery. The client reported a 65% reduction in deployment time after implementing a modern CI/CD pipeline, significantly improving throughput and stability.
By shifting governance from output-based metrics to product-oriented KPIs, the company gained visibility into customer value delivered. New dashboards tracked flow efficiency, defect rates, and release frequency, enabling leadership to make data-driven decisions. Within the first 12 months, the client launched three new digital products — one reaching the market in just six months — proving the effectiveness of the new product operating model.
Strategic Business Impact
The transformation delivered more than process improvements; it changed how the organization competes. By adopting a Project to Product strategy, the company improved speed, reduced risks, and fostered stronger collaboration between business and IT.
The new model allowed leadership to:
- Reallocate investments to high-value digital initiatives
- Prioritize product features that drive customer satisfaction
- Reduce delivery costs through automation and cross-team integration
Key Transformation Outcomes
- Time-to-market for new products reduced from 18 to 6 months
- Deployment cycle shortened by 65% through DevOps automation
- Business-driven product funding model established across 5 portfolios
- Measurable KPIs implemented: customer value, flow efficiency, release stability
- Employee satisfaction in IT teams improved by 22% after adoption of product mindset
Benefits Delivered
The transition proved that moving from projects to products creates measurable competitive advantage.
- Faster time-to-market — new products launched 3× quicker
- Operational efficiency — –65% deployment time via CI/CD pipeline
- Stronger collaboration — integrated cross-functional product teams
- Sustainable growth — continuous delivery aligned with business goals
LeanCoded’s Contribution
LeanCoded provided end-to-end support: from designing the product operating model and coaching executives to implementing DevOps practices and KPI dashboards. Our structured approach helped the client avoid common pitfalls, accelerate adoption, and secure buy-in at all organizational levels. The result was a scalable Project to Product transformation that unlocked both efficiency and innovation.